New National Culture Policy to be more holistic, says MoTAC official
MIRI: Malaysia is to have a new holistic and comprehensive National Culture Policy (NCP) by this October or November.
According to secretary to the Department of Tourism Policy of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC) Dr Tan Awang Besar, the policy is still at the drafting stage and upon its completion, it would be presented to the cabinet for approval.
He stated this during a forum on NCP here yesterday, which was coordinated by Tan and MoTAC’s deputy secretarygeneral (culture) Saraya Arbi.
The event was attended by over 160 representatives of various local organisations and ethnic groups, including MoTAC Sarawak director Suriya Charles Buas, National Culture and Arts Department (JKKN) Sarawak director Abdul Mutalib Abdul Rahman, and Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation Sarawak director Azran Arip.
“The forum that we have today (yesterday) in Miri – the 14th and last series held in the country – is a part of our efforts to get the community be involved in the policy-making.
“We gather proposals and views of the people on aspects that need to be included in the new policy, so that it would become a policy of and for the people,” said Tan when met after presenting his briefing on policy-drafting.
In his presentation earlier, Tan regarded a new NCP as ‘being necessary to enhance the existing one, which had been in existence for 47 years, so as to meet the current and future requirements of the country’.
He said studies conducted on the old NPC had shown that there was degradation in Malaysian cultures, and the people’s heritage was fast disappearing due to the thrust of modern forms of ‘alien cultural expressions’.
“Thus, traditional culture has to be preserved and revitalised, not merely for national unity and enhancement of heritage, but for the people of all races to be able to preserve and monetise them.”
On proposals raised during the forum, Tan said they would be brought up for consideration to be included in the new NPC.
Some of the proposals put forth were the funding by the government to enable communities to conduct studies on and promotions of their cultures, towards complementing MoTAC’s efforts in promoting them at both the national and international levels; setting up a cultural centre in Miri; putting great emphasis on cultural studies in the curricula of school and universities, instead of sole priority to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects; and providing other avenues for exhibitions and sales of crafts and other arts.
On the funding proposal, Tan assured everyone that MoTAC should be able to provide support in terms of giving tax exemptions to the sponsors of cultural events.
On other matters, Tan called upon associations or individuals having other proposals for the new NPC, to contact him via 019-266 5697 or awangbesar@motac.gov. my – or Saraya via saraya@motac. gov.my.
For further details, visit http://www.motac.gov.my/ program/tabung-insentif/insentifpotongan