THE Sarawak Craft Council is poised to begin operations, with plans to finalise its organisational structure and secure operational funding in the first quarter of 2024.
As a key milestone, the council is set to unveil its inaugural chief executive officer during this period.
Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said development of the sector is set to be more coordinated, vibrant, and resolute in the coming years, especially with the impending commencement of the Sarawak Craft Council Ordinance which was passed on May 16, and assented by the Head of State on May 23 and gazetted on May 30.
He said the size of the handicraft market expanded from USD752 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD789 billion in 2023 globally.
“In Malaysia, the Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation (Kraftangan Malaysia) reported, as of August 31, the market size has increased by 20 per cent compared in 2022 with sales increasing from RM186.4 million to RM223.6 million in 2023 during the corresponding period from January to August,” he said when delivering his winding-up-speech in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) today.
For the record, Sarawak recorded total sales of RM21.5 million in 2022 and as of October 2023, the total sale is RM18.3 million.
The Handicraft Development Corporation Sarawak Branch also reported the number of registered craft producers in Sarawak had increased from 1096 in 2022 to 1195 in 2023, with Miri Division recording the most at 340, followed by Kuching (293) and Kapit (239). Under the PCDS 2030, the target number of producers is 1,800 by the year 2030.
Meanwhile, he said the Sarawak Arts Council (SAC) is establishing the Sarawak Arts Academyfor the completion of the Sarawak Performing Arts Centre.
“SAC has conducted two brainstorming sessions and a benchmarking programme at UniversitiMalaya (UM), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI)and ASWARA Kuala Lumpur,” he added.
