Craftsmen to benefit from Sabah Handicraft Centre
KOTA KINABALU: As many as 100 selected craftsmen throughout Sabah will benefit when the Sabah Handicraft Centre (PKS) begins operation at the Sabah State Administrative Centre.
Sabah Foundation director Datuk Sapawi Ahmad said PKS through its marketing company, Kristal Handal Sdn Bhd, would allow rural entrepreneurs with premium products to market their merchandise at the premises.
“PKS and the company have a track record of bringing the name and product of a local brand to the same standard as others that have been in the industry for a long time.
“This is proven by the Batik Malaysia certification MS 692: 2007, given by Perbadanan Kemajuan Kraftangan Malaysia, Kelantan in 2015,” he said at the accreditation recognition ceremony for fair business in tourism (handicrafts and souvenirs), yesterday.
Yayasan Sabah Group’s Galleria Artisan received the Fair Trade Tourism Select - an Accredited Outlet Certificate during the Kota Kinabalu City Hall’s Fair Trade Tourism Select outlet (Handicraft and Craft category) Accreditation Recognition Ceremony held at Tun Hamdan Theatre, Menara Tun Mustapha yesterday.
The programme, jointly organised by the Yayasan Sabah Group’s Kristal Handal Sdn Bhd (KHSB) and the Kota Kinabalu City Hall, is to give recognition to tourism-related small business premises which put into practice aspects of accountability and fairness in their trade.
Sapawi said the success of Galleria Artisan in obtaining accreditation would surely put Tun Mustapha Tower on the map as a tourist destination in Sabah.
He said the selection process for accreditation was based on an evaluation scheme on service performance and quality of tourism products available in the city.
“I believe this recognition will benefit and inspire Galleria Artisan to go further in achieving excellence in the handicrafts as well as batik industry here,” said Sapawi.
He said the recognition had created a new history for Galleria Artisan in the annals of the development of handicraft and batik industries in Sabah, particularly in the preservation efforts of Sabah’s ethnic art heritage.
“This certificate of accreditation will certainly benefit and motivate Galleria Artisan to move forward in achieving excellence in the handicraft and batik industries, while bolstering up its image to that of a higher level promulgating itself as one of the tourist destinations in the State of Sabah, thus becoming a must-visit destination for tourists both locally and abroad,” he explained.
In explaining the fundamental basis behind Kristal Handal’s accreditation, Sapawi said an assessment by the Fair Trade Accreditation Assessment Committee was conducted on 30 November 2017 at Galleria Artisan which evaluated both the performance and quality of tourism products and services in Kota Kinabalu City specifically emphasising fair economic principles and quality of community development and environmental balance.
“Galleria Artisan is the second outlet to receive such recognition in Kota Kinabalu City and that Yayasan Sabah Group is proud of the recognition given to the Galleria Artisan,” he added.
Galleria Artisan is a handicraft and a batik marketing outlet operated by KHSB, the marketing arm of Pusat Kraftangan Sabah (PKS).
“Galeria Artisan has been recognised as the sole batik producer from Sabah who has received the Malaysian Batik MS 692: 2007 certification by Handicraft Development Corporation Malaysia (PKKM) on 9 November 2015 and this recognition has done Sabah proud,” added Sapawi.
Social-wise, apart from being a business entity for KHSB, Galleria Artisan also houses a miniworkshop to provide training on textile-based production of batik for interested individuals and groups.
Sapawi reiterated, “Trainees would be exposed in the overall manufacturing and production process of batik, under the brand “Batik Bayu” over the period of six months before extending their training programs for another six months.
“With this sort of effort, more capable batik producers would emerge into the local batik industry, thus promoting batik as a reliable source in improving the standard of living,” he explained.
PKS through its marketing company, KHSB is moving forward by creating another marketing outlet at the Sabah State Administrative Office building which is expected to be open to the public soon this year,” concluded Sapawi.
The event was officiated by Kota Kinabalu Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai.