More international collaborations

Musa and Faridah (centre) flanked by Khalil (sixth left, front) in a group photo with some of the internationally renowned catwalk models wearing Sabah batik creations.

KOTA KINABALU: Yayasan Sabah Group will continue to work with reputable handicraft household names to position the Sabah Handicraft Centre in Keningau at the forefront of the handicraft industry.

The most recent collaboration culminated in a fashion show on Monday, 12 November which exhibited batik creations crafted by local talents under the guidance of international designers at the centre in Keningau.

The Yayasan Sabah Group worked with the Milano Deanoor Management Team, which has years of experience in the fashion industry, to train local youths on making batik creations at the centre.

Tan Sri Khalil Jamalul, the Director of Yayasan Sabah and Executive Chairman of ICSB said the fashion show was indeed one of its kind.

“This is due to the fact that the batiks that were showcased were crafted by local talents and guided by international designers,” he said in his welcoming remarks at the Sabah Batik Crafted for the World, International Catwalk Fashion Show 2012, held at a leading hotel in Kota Kinabalu on Monday.

Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman who is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Yayasan Sabah, was the guest of honour.

Also present were wife of the Chief Minister, Datin Seri Faridah Haji Tussin, cabinet ministers, heads of government departments, corporate leaders and their wives.

The event was organised by the Yayasan Sabah Group with Milano Deanoor Management Team as the event manager.

“We are honoured that internationally acclaimed models from all over the world were wearing the products produced by our local youths that were trained by Deanoor in Pusat Kraftangan Sabah – something which years ago was very hard to visualise, became a reality,” said Khalil.

“We believe through the strong support of the government and the collaboration with Milano Deanoor Management Team as well as the commitment and dedication of the trainees, we will be able to position Sabah Handicraft Centre with a strong dynamic philosophy,” he added.

He believed that the collaboration with Deanoor provided Sabah Handicraft Centre the opportunity to learn from a world-renowned fashion name.

“We believe it is not impossible to turn our dream into reality if we persevere in our endeavour and collaborate with the right partners that have all the prerequisites for success,” he elaborated.

Sabah Handicraft Centre

Sabah Handicraft Centre has been very active in organising courses to provide opportunities to the locals, in particular youths, to produce high quality handicraft products.

The programmes, courses as well as the equipment at the centre were funded by the federal government from an allocation of RM20 million.

Among the courses available are woodcarving, crystal moulding, sewing and batik making.

The opening of the centre was officiated by Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on June 2012.

Khalil also acknowledged that Sabah Handicraft Centre would not have been realised if not for Musa who gave the Yayasan Sabah Group strong support.

“It is with the hands-on involvement of Datuk Seri Panglima Musa that we are able to realise this dream, to raise the status of our handicraft and expand its creative potential while forging an international presence in the fashion world,” he stressed.

“The RM30 million building, funded by the state government through Yayasan Sabah Group was the brainchild of Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman.

“As a man of vision, Datuk Seri Panglima Musa saw the need to develop such a facility in order to transform the handicraft industry in the state by encouraging the locals to venture into business through systematic production rather than on an ad-hoc and hobby basis,” he added.

Furthermore, he said Musa realised that the centre is very crucial in preserving local culture and tradition besides contributing to the government’s effort in developing the human capital of the state.

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