By Radzuan Ghazali
Pix Izwan Azman

KUALA TERENGGANU, TERENGGANU, 3 Feb 2016 – Terengganu now has the country’s first virtual museum, thanks to the cooperation between the National University of Malaysia (UKM) and the Terengganu State Museum Board which scanned artifacts into three-dimensional images for viewing online at the museum’s web-site.

The museum has eight galleries showcasing 400 of the 33,000 artifacts belonging to the museum board in three dimensional digital form that can be viewed and analysed at http://www.ftsm.ukm.my/museummaya.

The conservation of historical and cultural heritage based on information and communications technology, started almost two years ago by the Multimedia and Usability Research Group, Faculty of Information Science and Technology (FTSM).

The virtual museum system was launched by the Deputy Chairman of the  State Tourism and Culture Comittee, Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abdul Rahman who represented Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman here on 1st February.

Also inaugurated was  the Information Technology Symposium with the theme  Heritage Sustainability Through ICT, both organised by the museum board and the FTSM.

Earlier, UKM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Community Partnetship) Prof Datuk Dr Imran Ho Abdullah, in his speech, said the Memorandum of Agreement  signed with the museum board in August 2014 was a milestone not only for the country, but also the region.

“I hope this cooperation between UKM and the Terengganu Museum Board is the  beginning that leads to the further development of the first virtual museum not only in this country but also in Southeast Asia,” he said.

He explained that the project, funded by university grants education totaling RM210,000, is preserving the cultural heritage and  artifacts of the nation in a sustainable manner which can be displayed digitally while  kept in storage.

He added that the results of the research process by UKM will not only benefit  the local community, but also impact internationally as well.

Also present at the launch were State Secretary and museum board chairman, Datuk Osman Muda, museum board director Mohd Yusof Abdullah, FTSM Deputy Dean Prof Dr Azuraliza Abu Bakar and symposium chairman Dr Tengku Siti Meriam Tengku Wok.

Meanwhile, Tengku Zaihan, in his official speech, expressed appreciation for the creativity and innovativeness of all parties in the realisation of the 3-D imaging of artifacts for this virtual museum.

He said the virtual museum can be beneficial to all segments of society in appreciating the history of civilizations and becoming the catalyst of for smart partnerships in this country.

“I am confident that this system will bring a transformation in access to information in this state in particular and the country in general,” he summarised.

There are only two other virtual museum in the world that have facilities similar to the one developed in Kuala Terengganu.