Amman:National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang emphasized the importance of the Malay diaspora as a crucial asset in Malaysia's cultural diplomacy. He highlighted the potential of utilizing the Malay language, arts, customs, cuisine, religion, and history to forge connections between communities across borders.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Aaron Ago Dagang remarked that the Malay World is a vast civilizational sphere shaped by centuries of trade, maritime activity, and cultural exchanges. This heritage extends well beyond the Southeast Asian region. He drew a distinction between official diplomacy, which builds ties between governments, and cultural diplomacy, which forges connections between people. These comments were made during the Malay Diaspora International Seminar 2026 at the Department of Museums Malaysia Auditorium, with the Tengku Ampuan of Pahang in attendance.

Aaron noted the lack of a comprehensive international database to document the global Malay diaspora by ethnicity, suggesting significant opportunities to improve documentation, research, and mapping efforts. The seminar aimed to deepen research, promote knowledge-sharing, strengthen international cooperation, and preserve Malay culture for future generations. It forms part of the Department of Museums Malaysia's ongoing efforts to research, collect, and preserve the nation's history and heritage.

JMM deputy director-general Mohamad Shawali Badi highlighted the potential of the Malay World Ethnology Museum to become a networking hub, linking researchers, museum institutions, educational bodies, cultural organizations, and Malay diaspora communities both in Malaysia and abroad. He expressed hope for the network to facilitate the sharing of information, expertise, and resources on the history and heritage of Malay diaspora communities.

During the seminar, Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr. Wan Hashim Wan Teh of the World Malay Polynesian Organisation presented research findings on Malay diaspora communities in Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Western Australia. He noted that while the Malay community in Sri Lanka maintains a distinctive blend of Malay and local languages, proficiency among younger generations is declining.

Organized by JMM through the Malay World Ethnology Museum, the seminar brought together researchers and academics for seven paper presentations exploring the Malay diaspora across themes such as History and Mobility; Politics, Economy and Society; and Heritage, Arts and Culture.