KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 6 -- As Malaysia commemorates 69 years of Merdeka, the National Archives of Malaysia (ANM) said history must be more than a record of the past, serving instead as a source of inspiration and lessons for Malaysians to understand how the nation was built.

Although one of the most basic and essential functions of a national archive is to serve the government's interests, ANM director-general Zaidin Mohd Noor said its foremost responsibility is to serve as a source of enlightenment and improvement for all segments of society.

"Although ANM has a substantial collection of official records, we also collect records from private organisations, NGOs and individuals, as well as conduct oral history interviews.

As custodian of...