Program to attract Japanese interest in Sabah – Jainab
KOTA KINABALU: The 30-yearold Malaysia-Japan “Friendly Relationship Through Pictures” program is a platform to attract more Japanese interest into Sabah, said Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid.
The minister observed that the program, which started 16 years ago in Sabah, showcases the diversified culture, multi-religious community and rich biodiversity in Sabah through the eyes of primary schoolchildren.
“Through these drawings, the Japanese will be excited with our culture, our racial unity, languages, religion and so on. We highlighted to them our culture and environment so they would want to visit here,” said Jainab, adding that more similar efforts should be done in the programs in future here.
The “Friendly Relationship Through Pictures” program started in 1987 as a drawing exchange program between two schools in Penang and Asaka, Saitama in Japan.
The program expanded to Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Perak with the “Untuk kanak-kanak, Untuk persahabatan antara Malaysia dan Jepun” (for the children, for the Malaysia and Japan relations).
This year, some 40 children took in the program that is authorized for the 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations Malaysia-Japan.
A total of 114 drawings from seven primary schools here and 130 from pupils at the primary school level in Japan were exhibited in the program. Authorized NPO Corporation MAY Asaka Center chairperson Fumiko Oike said the first program was held at the Tuaran Library branch with the support of State Library and State Education Department in 2001.
“After this exhibition, the drawings from Japan will be gifted to the Education and Library (Department). Meanwhile, the drawings from Malaysia will be brought to Japan by myself,” said Oike.
“It will be distributed to schools involved in the program in Japan as global education materials. After exhibiting it in schools, it will be collected and showcased in an open exhibition for the public in Japan.
“To celebrate this 30th anniversary, we have planned a big exhibition in our district, Asaka on January 2018. Besides this exhibition, we will also hold a workshop for students and international forum,” she elaborated.