The Star Malaysia

More effort needed to uphold Chinese culture

- By ANDY CHUA andychua@thestar.com.my

Concerted efforts are needed to uphold Chinese traditiona­l culture and arts to make them accessible to the present generation, a business community leader has said.

“Although Chinese culture and arts have a long, rich history, some people are indifferen­t towards this,” said Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Datuk Lau Cheng Kiong.

Speaking at the installati­on of the new committee of the Sibu Chinese Culture and Arts Associatio­n, Lau said that in an era of informatio­n explosion, young people were more inclined towards fashion trends and popular culture.

Some people, he said, might feel that traditiona­l culture and art were too old-fashioned and out of touch with modern life.

“the accelerati­on of urbanisati­on has also made people more exposed to commercial entertainm­ent activities, while traditiona­l culture and art may seem dull and inaccessib­le to them.”

He said there were also certain deficienci­es in the disseminat­ion of Chinese culture and art in the education system, which had led some people to doubt its importance and even ignore it.

“Some cultural consumptio­n trends in society also make commercial and popular cultural products more popular, while making traditiona­l culture and art relatively marginalis­ed.”

Lau said he wanted the associatio­n to shoulder the important mission of promoting Chinese culture.

He suggested that the associatio­n organise colourful cultural and artistic activities and promote the traditiona­l culture so that tradition and modernity could be reconciled.

 ?? ?? lau (in suit) presenting the appointmen­t certificat­e to the associatio­n’s new president, Hii yii ping.
lau (in suit) presenting the appointmen­t certificat­e to the associatio­n’s new president, Hii yii ping.
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