KUALA LUMPUR: National Archives of Malaysia director-general Datuk Azemi Abdul Aziz is a man on a mission, not just for the continued preservation and protection of the country's most sacred, important documents and materials, but also to lead the institution into the digital age.
The 59-year-old, who hails from Beranang, Selangor, joined the National Archives in 1984 after developing a keen interest in archiving during semester breaks while pursuing a degree in Southeast Asian studies at Universiti Malaya in the 1980s.
Despite entering the banking sector after graduating, Azemi realised that his passion was in archiving.
He then wrote to then National Archives director-general, the late Datuk Zakiah Anum, who was the first woman to head a federal government department, to ask for a job.
Almost four decades later, Azemi now helms the National Archives.
He believes his passion for the job remains as strong as ever.
The work of archiving, he said, transcends mere storing and keeping old items.
"It is actually a rewarding form of national service as we are the protectors and custodians of special documents and materials that chart the country's rich history throughout the years
"So for me, it has been a very fulfilling job," said Azemi, who has been the director-general for the past seven years.
Asked on the highlights of his career, Azemi said he had several.
"In the 1980s, during the early days of my career, I was able to record interviews with former Japanese soldiers who were part of the Japanese Imperial Army's invading force that landed in Kota Baru, Kelantan, during World War 2.
"This was when they used to come once a year to pay their respects at the memorial for their fallen comrades."
Azemi was also able to document interviews with the late Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Hamid, popularly known as Cikgu Razak, a Malaysian academic who studied in Japan during World War 2 and who was the only Malaysian survivor of the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima.
Looking ahead, Azemi aims to modernise the National Archives to provide a better service in terms of dissemination of information to a wider audience so that more Malaysians can develop an interest and equip themselves with information and knowledge of Malaysia's rich history.
"At present, our focus is to digitise documents and materials we have for safekeeping in our vaults and repositories.
"This way, we hope more Malaysians can develop a better understanding of our rich history, thanks to an easier, more convenient access and availability of such information."
Other efforts, he said, include establishing a "walk-through" memorial and reviving the "Hari Ini Dalam Sejarah" programme on national television.