The Department of National Heritage (Jabatan Warisan Negara, JWN) is the Malaysian federal agency that identifies, gazettes, conserves and enforces the nation's heritage. It was established on 1 March 2006, sits under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), and runs the statutory machinery of the National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645). Its Commissioner of Heritage maintains the National Heritage Register, while the Minister formally declares items — including living persons — as National Heritage by order in the Gazette.
- JWN was established on 1 March 2006 and operates under MOTAC to preserve, conserve, protect and promote Malaysia's heritage.
- It administers the National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645), covering tangible, intangible, natural, underwater cultural heritage and treasure trove.
- The Commissioner of Heritage, appointed under section 4, designates sites, registers objects and maintains the National Heritage Register (section 23).
- Under section 68 any person may nominate; under section 67 the Minister declares a National Heritage by Gazette order against nine statutory considerations.
- Section 114 makes it an offence to alter, demolish or deal with a National Heritage without written approval — up to 5 years' jail or a fine up to RM50,000, or both.
Who this applies to: Researchers, conservationists, property owners, students and heritage tourists who need to understand who protects and gazettes Malaysian heritage and how the process works.
On this page
When a shophouse in George Town gets a protection order, or a mak yong dancer is honoured as a living treasure, one federal body sits behind the decision: the Department of National Heritage — Jabatan Warisan Negara (JWN). Established on 1 March 2006, JWN identifies, conserves, gazettes and protects Malaysia’s heritage, and it operates under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC). Its stated vision is to lead in exploring and preserving heritage treasures toward forging national identity and generating the national economy.
What law does JWN run?
JWN administers the National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645), which received Royal Assent on 30 December 2005 and was gazetted the next day. The Act provides for the conservation of national heritage, natural heritage, tangible and intangible cultural heritage, underwater cultural heritage and treasure trove. It reaches across research, archaeology, conservation of buildings and monuments, gazetting and enforcement.
Who holds the power?
The Act builds the department around a single statutory office. Under section 4, the Minister appoints a Commissioner of Heritage — a body corporate with perpetual succession, holding office for a term of not more than three years and eligible for reappointment. Section 6 lists the Commissioner’s functions: designating sites, registering objects, maintaining the Register, supervising conservation, promoting research, authorising excavations, liaising with State Authorities and advising the Minister. Section 8 establishes a National Heritage Council, and Part V (sections 20–22) sets up a Heritage Fund controlled by the Commissioner.
How does something become “National Heritage”?
The pipeline is public and statutory:
| Step | Section | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Nominate | s.68 | Any person may nominate a natural, tangible, intangible, living-person or underwater heritage in the prescribed form. |
| Register | s.23, s.24 | The Commissioner designates sites and maintains the National Heritage Register, open to public inspection. |
| Interim protection | s.33 | An Interim Protection Order can shield a site pending a designation decision. |
| Declare | s.67 | The Minister declares a National Heritage by Gazette order, weighing nine considerations (historical importance, aesthetics, innovation, cultural association, rarity and more). |
The living person route is real: the National Heritage (Declaration of Living Person as a National Heritage) Order 2012 created the Warisan Orang Hidup category, honouring exceptional bearers of cultural knowledge.
What happens if you damage one?
Under section 114, no one may transfer, demolish, remove, alter, renovate, export or add to a National Heritage without the Commissioner’s written approval, except in urgent necessity for safety. Contravention is an offence carrying imprisonment for up to five years, a fine not exceeding RM50,000, or both.
Where to reach JWN
JWN’s headquarters is at Aras Mezanin, 15–20, Menara Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), No. 201-A, Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur; email info@heritage.gov.my.
What’s next
To distinguish JWN’s National Heritage list from UNESCO World Heritage and state or local heritage gazettes, and to see the sites and living persons it protects, consult the National Heritage Register through JWN’s official portal at heritage.gov.my and the full text of the National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645).
What is the difference between JWN and the National Heritage Act?
The National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645) is the statute; JWN is the department that administers it. The Act creates the offices, the Register and the declaration process that JWN operates day to day.
How does something get declared National Heritage?
Under section 68 any person may nominate an item in the prescribed form. Under section 67 the Minister may then declare it a National Heritage by order in the Gazette, weighing nine considerations such as historical importance, aesthetic value, rarity and cultural significance.
Can a living person be declared National Heritage?
Yes. Section 67 allows the Minister to declare a living person a National Heritage, and the National Heritage (Declaration of Living Person as a National Heritage) Order 2012 provides the formal instrument for the 'Warisan Orang Hidup' category.
The following are deliberately unstated or described only qualitatively until confirmed by a subject-matter expert:
- Exact current total of items on the National Heritage Register across all categories (buildings, sites, objects, intangible, natural, underwater, living persons) as of 2026 — sources give scattered, dated figures.
- Name of the current Commissioner of Heritage / Director-General of JWN (Ketua Pengarah) as of 2026.
- Exact number and official names of JWN's current divisions (bahagian) — homepage references Heritage Register, Conservation, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Archaeology and World Heritage, but a definitive current list was not confirmed.
- The 'Warisan Orang Hidup' (WAKOH) living-person declarations count and the precise scope of the National Heritage (Declaration of Living Person) Order 2012 (No. 369).
- Current JWN main phone number — one search returned +60 3-7800 0069 but this was not confirmed on the official site.
Sources
- History of Establishment — Jabatan Warisan Negara — Department of National Heritage (Jabatan Warisan Negara)
- Vision, Mission & Objective — Jabatan Warisan Negara — Department of National Heritage (Jabatan Warisan Negara)
- Official Portal of the Department of National Heritage — Department of National Heritage (Jabatan Warisan Negara)
- Laws of Malaysia Reprint — Act 645 National Heritage Act 2005 — Commissioner of Law Revision, Malaysia (official reprint, hosted by George Town World Heritage Incorporated)
- Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture — Wikipedia
- Perintah Warisan Kebangsaan (Perisytiharan Orang Hidup Sebagai Warisan Kebangsaan) 2012 (No. 369) — MyLaw.my
Change history
| Version | Date | Change | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01.00 | 14 Aug 2026 | Approved and published. | — |