By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Oct 30: More than RM370 million worth of craft was sold in Malaysia by 5,737 entrepreneurs from January to September 2019.
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi said this was an impressive performance for Malaysian’s handicraft industry.
“Out of this overall figure, a total of RM24.2 million in sales is from Sarawak while RM37.1 million is from Sabah,” he said at the Borneo Craft Textile Gala Night event here on Tuesday night.
“I can see the achievements of sales in Sarawak and Sabah as a result of the involvement of 3,070 entrepreneurs in both states.
“This procurement is in direct response to the government’s call for the concept of Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 or Shared Prosperity to be applied to all Malaysians and groups.
“For the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Craft Malaysia, we will continue to provide programmes for developing and empowering the craft community in Malaysia including the ethnic communities in Sarawak and Sabah,” he said.
Mohamaddin also said that Craft Malaysia has undertaken several new product development and production activities such as “My Community Craft and Semarak Craft project”.
“This new project focuses on the involvement of local communities in the production of Sarawak Songket, ‘Pua Karap’ and ‘Batik Linut’ products in Sarawak as well as others, and Pis embroidery in the state of Sabah.
“With the availability of quality tourism products in Sarawak, including Visit Sarawak 2019, I am confident that the target of 5 million tourists entering the state will be achieved.”
Mohamaddin added that the government also expects to achieve the target of 30 million tourists with RM100 billion in national tourism revenue, in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2020.
Concerning the Borneo Craft Festival 2019 which is being held from Oct 25 to Nov 3, he said that they are aiming for RM900,000 worth of sales.
“To achieve this, various interesting activities were held such as craft sales, Borneo product exhibitions, demonstrations, interactive crafts, Borneo textiles talk and performing arts,” he said.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, and his wife, Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang were the guests-of-honour. — DayakDaily
