Handicraft Industry Has Potential To Stimulate National Economy – Najib
Bernama, Malaysia
PEKAN, June 25 (Bernama) — The handicraft industry has big potential to stimulate national economic growth, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Monday.
Though the industry is largely rural-based, it had produced 3,787 handicraft entrepreneurs and provided jobs for nearly 10,000 people, he said.
He said RM164.5 million has been allocated under the Ninth Malaysia Plan to further develop and strengthen the viable industry, he said when speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Pahang Royal Weaving Skills Institute by the Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Ahmad Shah.
Based on a Bank Negara study, Najib, who is also Pekan MP, said there were 518,996 business bodies for a diverse small-and medium-scale industries (SMIs) which provided employment to nearly three million people.
“In view of the crucial role they play in generating economic activities, one of the government’s core objectives under the ninth plan is to focus on SMIs,” he said.
One of the government’s main initiatives is to plan and implement development programmes for entrepreneurs in line with the “One District, One Industry” concept covering various business fields including the craft industry.
On the institute, Najib said he was confident it would give a new lease of life to the fledgling weaving industry in Pahang despite its existence for a century.
The RM12 million institute on a 1.6ha sute at Kampung Budaya Pulau Keladi Complex here is a joint-venture between the state and federal governments.
Speaking to reporters later, Najib said the first phase construction would start in December. The project is expected to be completed in a year.
The institute, among others, will offer courses and training on basic weaving skills and techniques, designs and entrepreneurship.
Present were the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, Najib’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob and Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.
– BERNAMA