In redefining batik, they cannot afford to be too modern and completely mechanise batik production

by ERDA KHURSYIAH BASIR/ pic by BERNAMA

To attract more Malaysians, regardless of whether they are Malay, Indian or Chinese, to batik, the designs have to be more versatile

MALAYSIAN batik is all set to be redefined to keep pace with current developments and needs, and as part of efforts to uphold the local craft’s heritage value.

Malaysian Handicraft Development Corp (Kraftangan Malaysia) DG Ibrahim Ismail said the exercise would take into consideration two factors, namely preserving the original identity of batik and ensuring it remains relevant to the dictates of the market.

“The issue of redefining batik has been around for some time. In the craft industry, we cannot be too static to the extent of impeding its evolvement. If we keep sticking to the old techniques, we can perhaps still produce something (batik craft) beautiful, but will it conform with current tastes and requirements?” he asked.

He said in redefining batik, they cannot afford to be too modern and completely mechanise batik production as it would contradict the Malaysian Handicraft Development Corp Act 1979 (Act 222), which defines handicraft products as any “artistic product which is graced with cultural or traditional appeal and is the outcome of any process which is dependent solely or partly on manual skill, and includes any batik product”.

Batik product, in the context of this Act, means “any article, however produced, which bears a batik design on or at any part thereof”. “A product cannot be considered batik if it is 100% machine-made,” Ibrahim told Bernama in an interview recently.

Positive Response

Bernama, in an earlier article, quoted Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia CEO Datuk Leela Mohd Ali as saying that the definition of Malaysian batik has to be refined further to strengthen efforts to preserve and uphold the status of the textile art.

Ibrahim said the process of redefining batik would entail the participation of batik industry players, related government agencies, academics and non-governmental organisations as their views were also being sought.

Apart from meeting up with batik makers and entrepreneurs in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah, Kraftangan Malaysia also held a colloquium in September this year for stakeholders to discuss the matter.

According to Ibrahim, the industry players have responded positively to the proposal to redefine batik, “but we are continuing to engage with them on this issue”.

“We have to go about it (redefine batik) very carefully as we don’t want it to have a negative impact on batik makers and the industry in general.

“However, we must bear in mind that if batik doesn’t evolve with market demands, it will spell the end of the industry and Kraftangan Malaysia will be blamed for it,” he said, adding that he is certain the redefinition process would add more value to locally produced batik.

Evolution of Batik

Pointing out that the batik produced by each state has its own unique qualities with regard to their designs and production techniques, Ibrahim said innovations in terms of the materials used have also made Malaysian batik more appealing and unique.

One such innovation is the use of linut, a traditional delicacy of the Melanau and Bisaya communities in Sarawak made of fresh sago flour, as a resist for making batik. This technique was introduced in Mukah, Sarawak, by Kraftangan Malaysia early this year.

The agency is currently collaborating with the National Library of Malaysia to produce batik designs inspired by the motifs found in old manuscripts.

Kraftangan Malaysia is also planning to produce batik using cloth made of pineapple fibre sourced from the Philippines.

“We intend to explore other techniques and want to create a batik identity for each state. Negri Sembilan’s identity, for example, is bunga lada; Melaka, bunga kesidang (bread flower); Sabah, rafflesia flower; and Sarawak, Normah orchid,” he said.

He said to attract more Malaysians, regardless of whether they are Malay, Indian or Chinese, to batik, the designs have to be more versatile, without reflecting a single race.

This, he added, would accentuate the identity of the Malaysian craft.

Competition

On the competition posed by imported batik products, Ibrahim said Kraftangan Malaysia is assisting batik makers to cope with the competition by providing them with a variety of batik designs, techniques and materials so that they can meet the needs of various segments of society.

“People are, undeniably, making comparisons and saying that Malaysian batik is expensive. The truth, however, is that our batik is far better in terms of their motifs, designs and colours, as well as the techniques used such as block printing, tiedye, canting (a pen-like tool to apply hot wax in the batik-making process) and shibori (a Japanese dyeing technique).

“People in countries like Indonesia, China and Uzbekistan are impressed with our batik,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian craft industry earned profits totalling RM465.5 million between January and November 2019.

About 34% of the profit came from the sale of batik products.

Various initiatives have been taken by the government to promote batik as a national heritage and to create job opportunities through the production of batik crafts such as bags, accessories and children’s toys.

The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry has also welcomed a proposal for all MPs and senators to wear batik every Thursday during the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara sittings. — Bernama