Kuala Lumpur - Ten months from now, Kuala Lumpur will have a cultural centre on par with those around the region. RADIN SRI GHAZALI looks at the plans.
A dream will finally begin taking shape next year of making Kuala Lumpur a hub of cultural activities.
Eight hectares of land in Jalan Davis, Kuala Lumpur, have been ear-marked for a cultural village to be called Kota Warisan. First mooted three years ago, it will take shape next year at a cost of RM32.5 million.
The Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage and Enfiniti Productions Sdn Bhd recently signed an agreement on executing the project.
Ten months from now, Kota Warisan will let Kuala Lumpur stand side-by-side with cultural centres such as the Esplanade, Singapore; Thailand Cultural Centre, Bangkok; Cultural Centre of the Philippines; and Taman Ismail Marzuki Arts Centre, Jakarta.
“We have countless theatres including Istana Budaya and Panggung DBKL. But we do not have a cultural village that projects the Malaysian identity,” said Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim. “Kuala Lumpur should have such facilities. Besides that, we want to make Kuala Lumpur a cultural centre.”
He said his ministry would “be primarily involved in the physical structure of the venue by providing the infrastructure for Kota Warisan”.
Enfiniti Productions, run by Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina, will take care of content enhancement. “They will have a panel of experts to decide the programmes for the cultural city,” Rais said.
Kota Warisan is said to be the first cultural village in the peninsula.
“Visitors would be apart of Kota Warisan. As soon as they step inside, they will be participating in the daily activities carried out by the actors of Kota Warisan,” explained Tiara.
“In fact, Kota Warisan will also benefit our own people. Due to modernisation, we tend to neglect the essence of traditions and culture. There are among us who have never been to a real village. Thus, Kota Warisan will provide a great exposure of the kampung life among the younger generation,” she added.
She said the Culture Ministry, the National Arts, Culture & Heritage Academy and National Film Development Corporation would help with auditions to select the workforce needed by Kota Warisan.
Kota Warisan will consist of a cluster of villages from every ethnic group in Malaysia.
Visitors will be guided by a storyteller who will explain the activities carried out in each village.
Every outing will end with a dinner show where visitors will be entertained by artistes performing acts based on folklore and legends.
“There might even be a showcase of Puteri Gunung Ledang (the musical based on a fabled princess on Mount Ophir, Johor, which she produced),” Tiara said.
Source: www.nst.com.my (19 Desember 2007)
