Kuala Lumpur - There are fewer than 10 Malaysian handicraft items showcased at the handicraft gallery at the United Nations head office and all are outdated, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi lamented.
“It`s humiliating. Tourists go to the handicraft gallery at the UN head office to buy handicraft but what they are offered from Malaysia is pathetic,” he said when launching National Handicraft Day at the Handicraft Complex here yesterday.
“There are so few items and they are old stuff. Those who see them may think that it is as though Malaysia does not have any good handicraft.”
The Prime Minister said he discovered this during one of his visits to the UN head office.
Abdullah asked Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim to work with Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal to ensure that the world sees high-quality handicraft from the country not just at the handicraft gallery at the UN head office but also at international exhibitions, conferences and summits.
He said Dr Rais could work together with Shafie to help promote the country`s handicraft in a big way.
Abdullah also said that artisans should also be given a place to provide training and guidance to young people who were interested in acquiring the skills and producing handicraft items on a commercial scale.
“I believe there are still young people out there who are interested in handicraft making. They can be exposed to it and turn it into a profitable business,” he said.
He cited batik as an example of a handicraft product that had become a profitable business, one which had penetrated the global market.
“There are now batik pieces that can fetch up to RM5,000. In the past, batik was used for daily home wear and cost not more than RM20.
“When I was in Australia, a friend of mine showed me batik clothing which carried the label of a famous brand, Brioni, and it was very expensive. It`s not that I`m promoting the brand but it goes to show that the company sees that batik has value, and people are willing to buy,” he said.
Abdullah said that if handicraft makers could develop a good brand name, their products could also be marketed overseas.
He said currently, there were 5,300 handicraft makers, up from 3,400 in 2004.
“The handicraft industry could provide jobs for young people, and there is a future for the industry if we promote it well,” he added.
Source: thestar.com.my (29 Maret 2008)