MIRI: Programmes like the inaugural ‘Sarawak Handicraft & Food Series’ should be held regularly to fill free time and expose the young generation here to healthy activities.
Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the organising of workshop activities for sape, traditional martial arts of silat and traditional ‘kueh’ baking was very good to preserve such traditions for posterity among the younger generation.
He said this in his text of speech, which was read by his deputy, Datuk Sebastian Ting, during the closing ceremony of the programme in Coco Cabana here, organised by the Association of Artistes and Visual Arts Miri (PPSVM).
“I also found out in the programme that there are workshops related to bead-based craft such as Loom Beading and Ceramic Bead as well as art workshops such as water colour painting, batik art painting and tree bark painting.
“This is an art that can rarely be mastered by the public. Therefore, I hope that through these workshops we can produce many new artists in these fields and maybe these programmes can be held more often to hone the hidden talents of our young people in Miri,” he said.
He added that there was a workshop that caught his attention based on the programme book, which is the Functional Assemblage Art Workshop “Trash to Music”.
“This is a very unique and environmentally friendly art where used items are combined into a functional musical instrument that is said to produce a sound or melody exactly like the original.
He added this was an art that should be firmly inculcated in the young people here for the city to remain an environmentally friendly, creative, innovative and attractive one for tourist visits so that the tourism sector in Sarawak in general and Miri in particular could be improved.
“In addition to workshop activities to maintain talent and validate new talent in the arts, I also saw that sales activities were also held for handicrafts and art products.
“Activities like this are very good because with one activity there are various good impacts especially on the community, planning and economy in Miri which depends on the source of income from handicrafts, works of art and so on,” he concluded.
