Malaysia - Four ministries are working to find ways to reduce the influx of foreign-made `Malaysian` handicrafts and souvenir items into the country.
The handicraft may look Malaysian but the labels state otherwise. And these souvenir items are also far cheaper than local-made ones.
Random checks at shopping malls and other places around Kuala Lumpur that are popular with tourists, such as Central Market and Petaling Street, showed that most of the "local" handicraft and souvenir items are from China.
These include T-shirts and silver key chains, with "Malaysia" emblazoned on them, or zinc-alloy items such as kris and replicas of the Petronas Twin Towers.
There are also wooden carvings from Indonesia and bags from Thailand and India.
Former culture, arts and heritage minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said these imports were in the market simply because they were cheaper.
He pointed out that Malaysia had to import the raw materials which are used to make handicrafts.
"China has low-cost labour and the raw materials are sourced locally. We have to import them. The fabric for our batik is also from there because we don`t manufacture cotton or silk," he said.
His former ministry, now renamed Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage, works with the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry, the International Trade and Industry Ministry and the Tourism Ministry to reduce the influx of foreign products.
One of the strategies adopted by the ministry is to promote the local handicraft industry through the One District, One Industry (SDSI) initiative.
"In the east coast, for example, the emphasis will be on batik, wood carving and woven products. These would help contribute to the socio-economic development of rural areas," Rais, now the foreign minister, said in an interview before the dissolution of parliament last month.
Local wood carvings and T-shirts are sold at twice the price of handicraft and souvenirs from other countries.
A wooden mask from Sarawak, for example, costs RM400, while a bigger one from Thailand is retailed at half the price.
A locally produced 30cm-high pewter ware Petronas Twin Towers is priced at RM260, while a zinc-alloy replica from China costs RM60.
Made in Malaysia T-shirts are priced from RM25 upwards but those sold at Petaling Street go as low as RM5 a piece.
Karyaneka general manager Zuraidah Abd Razak said consumers should consider the products` quality rather than just settle for lower-priced items .
She said that local products were longer lasting and had better finishing.
"We cannot stop foreign products from coming in, but if consumers are made aware of the quality differences, they will pick the locally made souvenirs.
"We can`t reduce the price of local handicraft because it would affect the entre-preneurs. But they can set a benchmark by focusing on quality and creativity."
Karyaneka, a subsidiary of Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation (Kraftangan Malaysia), is entrusted with the task of marketing locally produced handicraft and souvenirs at the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex in Jalan Conlay in the city.
Zuraidah said the only way they could protect the Malaysian handicraft industry was to ensure that locally-made products adhered to quality standards such as the recently introduced Malaysian batik standard endorsed by Sirim.
"Entrepreneurs should always innovate because buyers prefer new designs and authenticity," she said.
The Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex is the only place in the city which sells nothing but locally-made handicraft and souvenir items. Zuraidah said many people were surprised when they found out that handicraft sold at the complex were affordable.
"Some consumers who thought our handicraft were expensive changed their mind when they visited the place. Of course we have items that cost thousands of ringgit but we also have cheap ones."
For instance, there are silver and copper corporate gift items which are priced at RM13,000. But there are also RM38 T-shirts and RM5 mengkuang gift boxes (Shuhada Elis and Azira Shaharuddin).
Source: www.nst.com.my (28 Maret 2008)