BACKGROUND
The Permanent Sub-Committee for Culture (JKT Kebudayaan) was established in 1972, where the Culture Division was established. This has led the Ministry of Youth and Sports to change its name to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports until 1987, as the Culture Division was eventually relocated under the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism. On 20 May 1992, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism was renamed as Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism.
In April 2004, MoCAT was split to facilitate the establishment of a separate ministry i.e the Ministry of Tourism (MoTour) which was responsible solely for matters related to tourism. In 2004, the Permanent Sub-Committee for Culture was put under the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage. In 2008, due to the restructuring of the Cabinet, the Ministry was renamed as the Ministry of Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage.
In 2009, the Permanent Sub-Committee for Culture was put under the Ministry of Information, Communications, Arts and Culture.
On 15 May 2013, the permanent Sub-Committee for Culture was put under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. On 2 July 2018, this Ministry was renamed as the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia. The Permanent Sub-Committee for Culture is responsible to review and to coordinate UNESCO related programs and activities under the capacity of arts and culture.
The permanent Sub-Committee for Culture plays the following roles:
- Strengthening the arts, culture and heritage towards enhancing national unity based on the National Cultural Policy;
- Actively participating and involed in the programs and activities organized by UNESCO and its subsidiaries;
- disseminating information related to the programs/ projects under UNESCO to all agencies and departments under the Culture Sector;
- coordinating UNESCO-related issues related to culture, arts and heritage;
- encouraging and facilitating agencies and departments to actively conduct programmes/projects related to UNESCO with fundings from UNESCO and its subsidiaries; and
- managing and participating in meetings of Permanent Sub-Committee, Malaysian National Commission for UNESCO (SKUM) – (coordinating a meeting for JKT Kebudayaan involving all the nine agencies at the ministry level every year).
AGENCIES UNDER PERMANENT SUB-COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE
- National Heritage Of Malaysia (Jabatan Warisan Negara);
- National Library Of Malaysia (Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia);
- National Archive Of Malaysia (Arkib Negara Malaysia);
- Department Of Museums Malaysia (Jabatan Muzium Malaysia);
- Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation (Perbadanan Kemajuan Kraftangan Malaysia);
- National Department For Culture And Arts (Jabatan Kebudayaan Dan Kesenian Negara);
- Palace Of Culture (Istana Budaya);
- National Academy Of Arts, Culture And Heritage (Akademi Seni Budaya Dan Warisan Kebangsaan); and
- National Visual Arts Gallery (Balai Seni Negara).
