ID :
52000
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 15:57
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/52000
The shortlink copeid
CRAFTS FOR MALAYSIAN LIFE STYLE
Rohana Mustaffa
KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) -- "I do not use the batik sarong at home,"
a common excuse of the fairer sex when asked if they are keen to buy batik
sarong.
Even if they are to buy, it is probably for their keeping, a token for their
guests, to be used back in kampung or during confinement, unlike previously
where the batik sarong was part of the daily attire.
The various batik motifs on the sarong are so impressive, and even today
women wearing the 'kebaya' go all out to ensure it matches with the motifs on
their batik sarong.
Nevertheless, Kraftangan Malaysia, the agency entrusted to develop the
nation's craft industry, is encouraging the use of batik sarong and its use in
others - souvenirs, interior decorations like cushion and table cloth at home,
hotels and restaurants.
Efforts are also taken in diversifying the use of sarong made from songket
and woven material and in modernizing their shape and appearance, noted Deputy
Director General (Development) Kraftangan Malaysia, Shahruddin Mohd Nor in an
interview with Bernama in conjunction with National Craft Day at the Kompleks
Kraf here.
"Craft & Life Style" is the theme of 2009 Craft Day that was launched at the
Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex last week and will end on 30th March.
He remarked that the seventh edition of the Craft Day wanted to portray
something different to widen the use of craft as a way of life at home, office,
hotel, restaurant, parks and others.
If many of the corporations use craft as souvenirs or as corporate gift,
hotels use craft for their landscape and interior decoration, houses
complemented with batik cushion and curtain and the display racks filled with
local craft, offices are decorated with crafty table cover and decorations, thus
our drive to make craft as a way of Malaysian lifestyle will succeed.
"We are trying to widen the use of sarong batik, for example, to preserve
its heritage and renew the interest on it," he said.
Due to this, exhibitions and craft sales every year would introduce new
products like seen this year, crystal decorations from Langkawi, and several of
the new technologies in making craft, new designs and motifs on existing
products. Also the antique crafts from Sabah and Sarawak have been given a new
lease of life with their quality, motifs and design enhanced.
He noted that Kraftangan Malaysia engaged the services of interior designers
in helping craft entrepreneurs develop numerous crystal products, provide the
direction and consultation on designs to the entrepreneurs and help in promoting
the products to a wider market.
The craft technology is introduced with the assistance of agencies like
Mardi, Sirim and universities like UiTM and UTM.
New technologies are pertinent in enhancing the quality of the nation's
craft, in the production process, utilisation, shape and controlling their cost
effectiveness, he said.
In this respect Kraftangan Malaysia emphasizes on research and development
(R&D) in ensuring Malaysian made craft products is of quality, competitively
priced, based on various raw material, is flawless and the shape and design are
innovative and creative.
The R&D project is conducted with the cooperation of universities, for
example batik fabrics now can use natural dyes from plants like lemon grass,
turmeric an chili and the latest colours from cultured bacteria.
"We also found that crafts can be made of waste material (waste to wear) and
this is where we have to work with those on the know in enhancing the local
craft industry," he said.
The R&D efforts have been emphasized by the Minister of Unity, Culture, Arts
and Heritage Mohd Shafie Apdal when officiating the Craft Day on March 19.
He indicated the possibility of increasing the allocation for R&D so that
Malaysian crafts are not left out from quantity and quality, design and its
appeal.
"Our crafts are accepted by a leading shopping mall the Harrods in London
and since the promotion started on Feb 25 and up to March, sales of RM631,000
have been recorded. The most sought after product is batik," he said.
Kraftangan Malaysia brought 410 of the best crafts produced by 66
entrepreneurs involving 3,173 unit of products to the mall that receives 1.2
million visitors a month.
Thus Malaysia now must concentrate on producing crafts of quality, flawless,
appealing designs and fulfill the taste of international buyers as there are
plans to bring these crafts to other major shopping malls at major cities of the
world.
Shafie added that for exclusive crafts like hand drawn batik, it is hoped
that more Malaysians would participate in making batik and this would enrich the
product.
Buyers would not lament on the high price if the quality of the product is
outstanding, flawless with an appealing shape and design, said Shaharuddin.
The diversity in products and design will come through R&D and creativity
through training conducted at the National Craft Institute and the higher
education institutions that offer coursed in design.
Kraftangan Malaysia also takes the trouble to bring the craft makers
overseas when promoting local crafts like in Hong Kong, Frankfurt, Birmingham,
Dubai, Singapore and Tokyo to expose them to international craft products,
establish joint ventures and widen the market for their products.
For example Abdul Rahim Yusof, the marketing executive of East Art
Enterprise Nusantara Pewter, followed the craft delegation to Frankfurt on
February and the trip revealed to him the actual size of the craft market where
he took the opportunity to establish business links.
He said a trader from Arab Saudi showed interest in ordering 1,000 boxes to
place the al-Quran from a particular design and a sales agent from Germany
wanted to have a follow up meeting during the Craft Day to procure some of his
craft products.
Coincidentally Abdul Rahim's craft, a wall frame with batik and metal motifs
, was among the crafts selected to Harrods and Abdul Rahim is hoping that he
will receive follow up orders and is ready to buy additional machineries to meet
the order.
At present, with the existing machinery, he can produce up to 200 wall
frames a month.
Shahruddin pointed out that Malaysia's weakness is the lack of active craft
entrepreneurs, with only 6,167 craft makers. Their numbers must be bolstered
apart from preserving the national craft heritage, enhance the quality and
diversify the craft products and widen their markets.
"I feel that through the relentless efforts of Kraftangan Malaysia in
promoting the national craft and integrated efforts with other education
institutions to create craft entrepreneurs through training and courses, seeing
a change is not impossible.
"Moreover if it is emphasized that the craft sector can provide good returns
, especially when it is now even received at the international level, starting
with Harrods's shopping mall, more people will be receptive in taking up craft
making," he said.
The National Craft Day this year is being participated by 400 textile,
jungle products, ceramics and metal, fashion, and crystal and glass craft
entrepreneurs and the number surpasses the figure last year.
Imagine the whole of the Craft Complex covering an area of 3.8 hectares
being filled with stalls, tents and numerous activities, exhibition and craft
demonstration to be uncovered by visitors.
At the same time, 31 buyers or craft traders from 15 nations were invited to
the event. They took part in the meeting session with 65 local craft
manufacturers who introduced and offered their craft products for the export
market.
The Malaysian craft entrepreneurs also have the opportunity to further dwell
into wood and stone crafts making techniques from the experts invited from
Uzbekistan, China, Thailand and Indonesia.
A craft appreciation session was also held for students, entrepreneurs and
craft lovers. Seminars throughout the promotion were also held with the themes
"Craft in Fashion and Couture", "Craft for Interior Decoration", "Craft as
Accessories", "Craft as Gift and Souvenir", "Craft in Landscape" and "Craft for
Home and Office Furnishing".
A total of 14 craft masters appointed by Kraftangan Malaysia to teach the
art of craft making to the younger generation were also give recognition during
the Craft Day for their contribution.
Also not left out is the cultural shows and traditional games along with the
service counters for those keen in participating in the industry.
With all the attractions and shuttle buses to the craft complex, visitors to
the Craft Day has been increasing from 16,803 in 2003 to 116,415 in 2007.
In 2008 Kraftangan Malaysia managed to woo 'quality' visitors with sales
figures of RM7.53 million (compared to RM6.39 million in 2007) even though the
event only recorded 56,136 visitors.
Shahruddin noted that this year Kraftangan Malaysia has targeted sales
amounting to more that RM8 million and he is confident of achieving the figure
as the Craft Day has been increasingly gaining prominence.
So for those of you who have yet to step into the Craft Complex, you are
most welcomed: "What a loss if you don't come..." he said.
-- BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) -- "I do not use the batik sarong at home,"
a common excuse of the fairer sex when asked if they are keen to buy batik
sarong.
Even if they are to buy, it is probably for their keeping, a token for their
guests, to be used back in kampung or during confinement, unlike previously
where the batik sarong was part of the daily attire.
The various batik motifs on the sarong are so impressive, and even today
women wearing the 'kebaya' go all out to ensure it matches with the motifs on
their batik sarong.
Nevertheless, Kraftangan Malaysia, the agency entrusted to develop the
nation's craft industry, is encouraging the use of batik sarong and its use in
others - souvenirs, interior decorations like cushion and table cloth at home,
hotels and restaurants.
Efforts are also taken in diversifying the use of sarong made from songket
and woven material and in modernizing their shape and appearance, noted Deputy
Director General (Development) Kraftangan Malaysia, Shahruddin Mohd Nor in an
interview with Bernama in conjunction with National Craft Day at the Kompleks
Kraf here.
"Craft & Life Style" is the theme of 2009 Craft Day that was launched at the
Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex last week and will end on 30th March.
He remarked that the seventh edition of the Craft Day wanted to portray
something different to widen the use of craft as a way of life at home, office,
hotel, restaurant, parks and others.
If many of the corporations use craft as souvenirs or as corporate gift,
hotels use craft for their landscape and interior decoration, houses
complemented with batik cushion and curtain and the display racks filled with
local craft, offices are decorated with crafty table cover and decorations, thus
our drive to make craft as a way of Malaysian lifestyle will succeed.
"We are trying to widen the use of sarong batik, for example, to preserve
its heritage and renew the interest on it," he said.
Due to this, exhibitions and craft sales every year would introduce new
products like seen this year, crystal decorations from Langkawi, and several of
the new technologies in making craft, new designs and motifs on existing
products. Also the antique crafts from Sabah and Sarawak have been given a new
lease of life with their quality, motifs and design enhanced.
He noted that Kraftangan Malaysia engaged the services of interior designers
in helping craft entrepreneurs develop numerous crystal products, provide the
direction and consultation on designs to the entrepreneurs and help in promoting
the products to a wider market.
The craft technology is introduced with the assistance of agencies like
Mardi, Sirim and universities like UiTM and UTM.
New technologies are pertinent in enhancing the quality of the nation's
craft, in the production process, utilisation, shape and controlling their cost
effectiveness, he said.
In this respect Kraftangan Malaysia emphasizes on research and development
(R&D) in ensuring Malaysian made craft products is of quality, competitively
priced, based on various raw material, is flawless and the shape and design are
innovative and creative.
The R&D project is conducted with the cooperation of universities, for
example batik fabrics now can use natural dyes from plants like lemon grass,
turmeric an chili and the latest colours from cultured bacteria.
"We also found that crafts can be made of waste material (waste to wear) and
this is where we have to work with those on the know in enhancing the local
craft industry," he said.
The R&D efforts have been emphasized by the Minister of Unity, Culture, Arts
and Heritage Mohd Shafie Apdal when officiating the Craft Day on March 19.
He indicated the possibility of increasing the allocation for R&D so that
Malaysian crafts are not left out from quantity and quality, design and its
appeal.
"Our crafts are accepted by a leading shopping mall the Harrods in London
and since the promotion started on Feb 25 and up to March, sales of RM631,000
have been recorded. The most sought after product is batik," he said.
Kraftangan Malaysia brought 410 of the best crafts produced by 66
entrepreneurs involving 3,173 unit of products to the mall that receives 1.2
million visitors a month.
Thus Malaysia now must concentrate on producing crafts of quality, flawless,
appealing designs and fulfill the taste of international buyers as there are
plans to bring these crafts to other major shopping malls at major cities of the
world.
Shafie added that for exclusive crafts like hand drawn batik, it is hoped
that more Malaysians would participate in making batik and this would enrich the
product.
Buyers would not lament on the high price if the quality of the product is
outstanding, flawless with an appealing shape and design, said Shaharuddin.
The diversity in products and design will come through R&D and creativity
through training conducted at the National Craft Institute and the higher
education institutions that offer coursed in design.
Kraftangan Malaysia also takes the trouble to bring the craft makers
overseas when promoting local crafts like in Hong Kong, Frankfurt, Birmingham,
Dubai, Singapore and Tokyo to expose them to international craft products,
establish joint ventures and widen the market for their products.
For example Abdul Rahim Yusof, the marketing executive of East Art
Enterprise Nusantara Pewter, followed the craft delegation to Frankfurt on
February and the trip revealed to him the actual size of the craft market where
he took the opportunity to establish business links.
He said a trader from Arab Saudi showed interest in ordering 1,000 boxes to
place the al-Quran from a particular design and a sales agent from Germany
wanted to have a follow up meeting during the Craft Day to procure some of his
craft products.
Coincidentally Abdul Rahim's craft, a wall frame with batik and metal motifs
, was among the crafts selected to Harrods and Abdul Rahim is hoping that he
will receive follow up orders and is ready to buy additional machineries to meet
the order.
At present, with the existing machinery, he can produce up to 200 wall
frames a month.
Shahruddin pointed out that Malaysia's weakness is the lack of active craft
entrepreneurs, with only 6,167 craft makers. Their numbers must be bolstered
apart from preserving the national craft heritage, enhance the quality and
diversify the craft products and widen their markets.
"I feel that through the relentless efforts of Kraftangan Malaysia in
promoting the national craft and integrated efforts with other education
institutions to create craft entrepreneurs through training and courses, seeing
a change is not impossible.
"Moreover if it is emphasized that the craft sector can provide good returns
, especially when it is now even received at the international level, starting
with Harrods's shopping mall, more people will be receptive in taking up craft
making," he said.
The National Craft Day this year is being participated by 400 textile,
jungle products, ceramics and metal, fashion, and crystal and glass craft
entrepreneurs and the number surpasses the figure last year.
Imagine the whole of the Craft Complex covering an area of 3.8 hectares
being filled with stalls, tents and numerous activities, exhibition and craft
demonstration to be uncovered by visitors.
At the same time, 31 buyers or craft traders from 15 nations were invited to
the event. They took part in the meeting session with 65 local craft
manufacturers who introduced and offered their craft products for the export
market.
The Malaysian craft entrepreneurs also have the opportunity to further dwell
into wood and stone crafts making techniques from the experts invited from
Uzbekistan, China, Thailand and Indonesia.
A craft appreciation session was also held for students, entrepreneurs and
craft lovers. Seminars throughout the promotion were also held with the themes
"Craft in Fashion and Couture", "Craft for Interior Decoration", "Craft as
Accessories", "Craft as Gift and Souvenir", "Craft in Landscape" and "Craft for
Home and Office Furnishing".
A total of 14 craft masters appointed by Kraftangan Malaysia to teach the
art of craft making to the younger generation were also give recognition during
the Craft Day for their contribution.
Also not left out is the cultural shows and traditional games along with the
service counters for those keen in participating in the industry.
With all the attractions and shuttle buses to the craft complex, visitors to
the Craft Day has been increasing from 16,803 in 2003 to 116,415 in 2007.
In 2008 Kraftangan Malaysia managed to woo 'quality' visitors with sales
figures of RM7.53 million (compared to RM6.39 million in 2007) even though the
event only recorded 56,136 visitors.
Shahruddin noted that this year Kraftangan Malaysia has targeted sales
amounting to more that RM8 million and he is confident of achieving the figure
as the Craft Day has been increasingly gaining prominence.
So for those of you who have yet to step into the Craft Complex, you are
most welcomed: "What a loss if you don't come..." he said.
-- BERNAMA
