Kuala Lumpur - The Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry will help 300 batik producers nationwide to penetrate the international market.
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the efforts would include regional marketing where the government would take their products to other countries like Brunei and Singapore.
"Batik products worth more than RM600,000 were sold during overseas sales missions last year. Now many want to join so that they can meet the entrepreneurs in other countries," he told reporters after opening the KL International Batik Conference and Exhibition" (KLIB) here Friday.
KLIB, organised by Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia, from Friday to Dec 2, has brought together 17 foreign speakers and 11 local experts to share their expertise, including the use of natural dyes in the batik industry and intellectual property rights.
Earlier in his keynote address, Rais said the batik textile in Malaysia alone generated RM400 million in revenue per year.
He suggested that more batik be printed on cotton which was cheaper than silk and could be worn daily.
"Silk is expensive. It costs more than RM100 per piece," he added.
Source: www.bernama.com.my (1 Desember 2007)