As batik becomes a must for civil service, experts say industry still needs bigger shot in the arm – eNews Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — Malaysia’s batik industry requires additional help for promotion from the authorities, experts stated in response to the federal administration requiring civil servants to start out carrying the materials each Thursday.

They stated Malaysia was in contrast to Indonesia the place batik was extra woven into its tradition and is used in rituals, festivals, and celebrations, with sure batik types having been designated as an intangible cultural heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).

“Regardless of how superior the expertise is, batik in Malaysia still requires authorities help to advertise the batik industry,” Harozila Ramli, a professor from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris who specialises in batik, advised eNews Malaysia.

“In the textile sector, there may be competitors in phrases of design, method, and cloth sort.”

Whereas in Indonesia, batik has a vital financial influence as it’s a key export that gives employment, she stated.

Harozila stated that the authorities’s transfer to additionally encourage civil servants every day would guarantee the continuation of conventional strategies, present platforms for native artisans to showcase their expertise, and create financial alternatives inside the industry.

Zubaidah Sual, a former Muzium Negara curator and textile skilled, was much less constructive about the results of the authorities’s transfer on the native batik industry, saying that whereas the civil service would now put on batik extra, this could be out of obligation slightly than appreciation for the artwork.

“Unlike the Indonesian folks. When they put on their batik, it is like they’re fulfilling their duty to their homeland,” she stated, including that Indonesians donned their batik so steadily that it was common to see its designs outdoors of the nation.

While saying she was uncertain which route the native batik industry would head going ahead, Zubaidah stated she was sure it could not be capable to compete with its Indonesian counterpart.

Few Malaysian batik merchandise are bought beneath RM100 per merchandise, so those that can not afford native choices will flip to Indonesian options which will be simply discovered at costs beneath RM50, she added.

However, this may not be a dangerous factor, in response to Keith Tan Kay Hin, affiliate professor at Taylor University’s faculty of structure, constructing and design.

He stated that the manufacturing of batik has existed as a cottage industry in Java for over 5 centuries resulting from serving the Javanese court docket in the sixteenth century.

In comparability, mass manufacturing of batik started in Malaysia solely over a century in the past, he defined.

“Malaysia’s middle-income lure signifies that a lot of our mass-market reasonably priced clothes comes from lower-cost growing nations, with native producers typically preventing it out with larger finish western manufacturers which can or might not have factories in South-east Asia,” he stated.

Hand-painted batik will be pricey, however its machine-made options can still be fairly lovely, he added.

Although batik industries attempt to cater to each ends of the market, Malaysia’s market measurement and price construction ensures it is going to battle towards Indonesia’s dominant place, he stated.

“Batik is, nonetheless, like durians — many individuals worldwide like the comparatively uncommon Malaysian sort versus the comparatively extra frequent Thai selection.

“Maybe we are able to hope for the identical to happen with batik — the ‘Sang Kancil’ impact, the place relative rarity results in larger reputation,” he stated.

On Tuesday, the Public Service Department issued a round requiring all non-uniformed civil servants to put on batik each Thursday and inspiring them to additionally accomplish that on different work days.

The PSD stated the transfer was to proceed supporting the Malaysian batik industry, and to make sure that it stays a heritage and a image of Malaysian identification.

Last yr, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari was reported by nationwide information company eNM as saying that the Selangor state meeting had plans to permit batik apparel at its conferences after the initiative’s implementation at the Parliament degree.

Before that in 2021, then Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Rais Yatim allowed Senate members to put on batik clothes in the Upper House.