LIMBANG: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) through Kraftangan Malaysia is implementing various programmes in an effort to help local craft entrepreneurs to overcome the challenging economic situation due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Its minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said for instance, the Community Skills Development programme (PPKK) implemented under the Skills Development and Skills Enhancement Initiative is an effort in developing and empowering the craft community to be directly involved in the craft industry to generate more income.
“The implementation of this programme is the government’s intention to help the target groups, namely youth, underprivileged, B40, Orang Asli, ethnic Sabahans and Sarawakians, single mothers, people with disabilities (OKU), senior citizens as well as the unemployed.
“This PPKK programme focuses on four initiatives namely product development, export development, technical and digital skills development as well as market and promotion,” she said during the closing ceremony and certificate presentation of the Parang (knife) Craft Community Skills Development Programme at the Kampung Patiambun Hall today.
She said that from September to December last year, a total of 15 craft community skills development programme activities were held in several districts in the state with 300 participants.
“A total of 31 craft community skills development programmes in Sarawak will be held throughout this year from March to December with a target of 860 participants,” she said.
She added for last year, Kraftangan Malaysia has managed to achieve a craft sales value of RM233.3 million, exceeding the target set of RM200 million with the number of craft entrepreneurs involved recorded at 6,042 people and the number of communities recorded at 22,710.
“Until Feb 28 this year, the sales value of crafts has reached RM32.2 million with an increase in the number of craft entrepreneurs of 6,105 people and the number of craft communities of 23,103.
“Of this number, Sarawak has a total of 1,064 craft entrepreneurs covering the fields of textiles, forest products, land products, metal products and various crafts with a sales value of RM1.99 million,” she said.
In Limbang district, she said a total of 11 craft entrepreneurs in the field of metal products, namely parang (knife) has generated a sales value of RM203,850.
Meanwhile, on the Parang Craft Community Skills Development Programme workshop held from Mar 16 to 19, it has attracted 18 local participants.
