According to the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Creative Economy Report 2008, “cultural industries” are regarded as industries that “combine the creation, production and commercialisation of contents which are intangible and cultural in nature. These contents are typically protected by copyright and they can take the form of goods or services”. An important aspect of cultural industries, according to Unesco, is that they are “central in promoting and maintaining cultural diversity and in ensuring democratic access to culture”.
This twofold nature – combining the cultural and the economic – gives cultural industries a distinctive profile. And Malaysia, of all countries, surely has deep resources when it comes to developing such cultural industries. As a country with a diverse in cultural thanks to the multicultural population, Malaysia should take this opportunity to enhance the existing creative industries which are comprise many aspect especially in the filming, theater, painting (including the wall painting and mural), traditional handicraft, and many others element including the booming multimedia art which include cartoon and gaming industries.
What Malaysia can learn?
When we talking about creative industries, dont limit our mind with only art, music, performing and so on. in the context of globalization of our creative industries, one must know what are the potential of our unique cultural that can be exploited and become another multi-billionaire industries. for example, the batik industry which is famous back then in the Eastern Region of Peninsula Malaysia since the batik or sarong is the traditional costume of the Malay community, especially the fishermen community in Terengganu and Kelantan. This batik, ie very unique in design as it utilize the natural motive in its pattern, such as flower, forest plants and also the animals such as bird peacock. (based on my observation on my mom's collection of kain batik).
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| Example of Kain Batik |
No other people except the batik expert can design such a smooth yet beautiful batik which has become a major economic sources for the people in Terengganu back then. However, because of lack support (maybe?) from the government, then the current situation is now worsen like Malay proverb says "hidup segan, mati tak mahu". Nowadays, the batik has become another tourism commodity / attraction where tourist from all over the world come to Malaysia particularly Terengganu just to watch how the batik is made (mencanting batik) and that's all! They just come, watch and buy it. It is unfortunate to see one of our creative industry sources has become like that.
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| Kin Batik is being made in traditional way |
Apart from being wear by the government servant in the Thursday every week (during Pak Lah administration), I dont see people would like to wear the batik anymore like the old days. it is very different in Indonesia, where the Batik is like their national treasure even though they lose the Batik copyright to Malaysia a few years ago. Well that's a different story, but the important part is the people awareness about their culture and their very own unnique product, on how they exploit it to become a national identity. Well, for me, that is what we call of the SUSTAINABILITY. you have your very own resources or products then you would do anthirng within your own power on how to make it sustain for a long period of time.
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| World leaders in Baju Batik. =) |
As the conclusion, when we talking about the creative industries in Malaysia, the elements and resources are there, but the main "machiney" to move them up to a whole new level is very weak. Not only because of the goverment which has tried very hard before to improve our creative industry, but also because of US, the Malaysian who are still blur about the importance of these elements and resources to be protected in the context of creative city.
"people will notice your creativity when they learn something that you are creating from nothing"
=)
p/s : all the pictures used in this entry are taken from Google. while the footnote wisdom intelligent creative yet so "memerah otak" quote is mine. thanks. :3
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