Seal for Sarawak handicraft proposed

There is a need to introduce a seal for Sarawak-made handicraft to distinguish them from the fakes.

Sarawak Tourism Federation president Wee Hong Seng said the seal could carry the name and origin of the handicraft maker and should be recognised by the Sarawak Craft Council.

He said the move was to protect the local craft industry as some 80% of souvenirs found here were imported, mostly from Indonesia.

“The sale of handicraft here these days tend to follow the trend. When one shop sells a particular item, other shops will also do the same.”

“This results in mass production of the items, like those coming from across the border,” he told reporters after opening a “Unity via art exhibition” at the Sarawak Tourism Complex here on Tuesday.

In recent years, handicraft shops here have sprouted along Jalan Main Bazaar facing the popular Kuching Waterfront. These stalls sell a wide range of craftworks mostly brought in from Indonesia. One of the main reasons the handicraft are imported into the state is that they are much cheaper compared to those produced locally.

Wee said tourists cashing in on the cheap souvenirs might not be aware that they were not buying genuine Sarawak handicraft.

He said the federation had also received complaints from tourists that handicraft sold in longhouses were too expensive compared with similar items found in major towns.

Wee said the federation and those in the tourism industry have tried to find ways to promote Sarawak handicraft, one of which was through the introduction of Sarawak Hornbill Tourism Awards.

To be eligible to compete for the awards, he said a handicraft shop has to stock at least 85% of its collections with Sarawak handicraft.

Exhibition organising chairman Gerald Goh urged the state authorities to set up a state art gallery for local artists to display their masterpieces.

He said a Sarawak Arts and Crafts Month would be launched next year.

The exhibition, which ended on Saturday, featured about 100 paintings.