KUCHING, December 11, 2017 - The fine workmanship of the Murum Penan
handicraft will find an expanded market with new and contemporary designs.
Sarawak Energy Executive Vice President for Corporate
Services Aisah Eden (right) along with the Murum Penan artisans who displayed
their weaving skills at the unveiling of a new range of contemporary designed
handicrafts at Menara Sarawak Energy.
Standing in the back row are (from right) Sarawak Energy Assistant
General Manager of CSR Jiwari Abdullah (left), Senior Manager for Social
Investment and Community Development Joanne Tan, UNIMAS Associate Professor Dr.
June Ngo Siok Kheng and UNIMAS Professor Dr Narayanan N. Kulathu Ramaiyer.
The designs are the outcome of a partnership between the
Murum Penan weaving community, Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) and Universiti
Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) which begun in 2016 as an effort to diversify and
elevate the commercial viability of the well- received traditional handicraft.
Marking this milestone, an event to launch and showcase
this new range of designs was held today at Menara Sarawak Energy in the presence
of invited guests comprising handicraft enthusiasts and representatives of
organisations involved in the development of crafts from indigenous communities
in Sarawak.
Hand woven by skilled Murum Penan artisans, rattan
products comprising tote bags, clutch purses, men’s briefcases, coasters,
platters, lampshades, headbands, bracelets and seminar bags featuring
contemporary accents and accessories were on display for sale. Proceeds from
the sale of these products go back to the community.
Officiating at the event was SEB Executive Vice President
for Corporate Services Aisah Eden. Also present were Chief Executive Officer
for SEB Power James Ung, Assistant
General Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility Jiwari Abdullah and Senior
Manager for Social Investment and Community Development Joanne Tan.
Representing UNIMAS were Professor Dr Narayanan N.
Kulathu Ramaiyer, Director for the Institute of Social Informatics and
Technological Innovations and Associate Professor Dr June Ngo Siok Kheng,
Department of Design Technology Faculty of Applied and Creative Arts.
In her speech, Aisah said: “Sarawak Energy embarked on
this initiative to enhance commercial viability of these authentic handicrafts,
expanding their market and providing for a more sustainable form of economy for
the Murum Penan community.
"As part of our commitment to corporate social
responsibility, our prime objective is to work together with these relocated
communities on sustainable livelihood programmes to ensure that their standard
of living after re-relocation would be raised.”
Sarawak Energy’s initiatives with the Murum Penan
community went back to the early years before their relocation in 2013 to the
resettlement at Tegulang and Metalun with the construction of the Murum
Hydroelectric Plant.
Other than handicraft development, Sarawak Energy has
helped set up schools and rolled out its flagship literacy programme which have
since enabled some 400 Penan adults to read and write.
The company also contributes to the Bakun Charitable
Trust to support the education needs of the Penans in Belaga as well as the
resettled community.
In addition, it also has the Youth Development programme
in partnership with the Society for the Advancement of Women and the Family
Sarawak and the extension of the “Literacy for Social Inclusion” programme
carried out together with the Dyslexia Association of Sarawak.
Currently, there are about 70 artisans who are actively
producing handicrafts in the Tegulang resettlement, including beadwork.
A number of training workshops were organised at Long Wat
and Long Malim to broaden their range of products, in partnerships with Sarawak
Craft Council and Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation Sarawak Branch
since 2014.
Furthermore, the artisans were given the exposure to
promote their crafts and showcase their skills at both international and
national platforms. These included the Festival Kraft Sarawak held in Miri and
Bintulu in 2015, 2016 and 2017 National Craft Day in Kuala Lumpur and recently,
at the 2017 Rainforest World Music Festival.-
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