KUCHING: Malaysians are at risk of losing not just their tangible and intangible heritage, but also part of their identity, with the arts, cultural and heritage practitioners growing older, said Yayasan Hasanah trustee and managing director Datuk Shahira Ahmed Bazari.
“Many textile traditions, with their heritage motifs and legacy weaving techniques are on the verge of being lost into history.
“Recognising this, over the years, Yayasan Hasanah works closely with its partners in various Malaysian states to breathe new life into our textiles, restoring them to their former glory through various efforts,” she said at the Hasanah Gold Threads Awards presentation ceremony here today.
Shahira said the inaugural Hasanah Gold Threads Awards would not only preserve and sustain Malaysia’s diverse textile-making traditions but also ignite a greater appreciation for these crafts in the mainstream consciousness.
“Our work is rooted deeply in this mission. Yayasan Hasanah and the Ministry of Finance are proud to present the Hasanah Gold Threads Awards in partnership with Tanoti and ASEAN Handicraft Promotion and Development Association, where preservation meets innovation,” she said.
“By showcasing artisans’ skills through this prestigious platform, we also aim to drive recognition and by extension, the marketability of their work,” she said.
Yayasan Hasanah is a foundation under Khazanah Nasional Berhad that was established in 2015. BERNAMA /NST
Social media, the Internet dominate the lives of Malaysians
KUALA LUMPUR: Social media and the internet have firmly entrenched in the daily lives of Malaysians, significantly shaping their lifestyle, thought processes, values, and even their political affiliations.
A study conducted by Kajidata in July, using a randomly selected sample of 1,082 respondents, reveals that a whopping 71 per cent of Malaysians use WhatsApp on a daily basis, followed by Facebook (51 per cent), TikTok ( 49 per cent), Instagram (45 per cent), and X (formerly Twitter) at 30 per cent.
Internet usage is equally pervasive, with 61 per cent of respondents reporting substantial online activity throughout the week.
In his analysis of the study’s findings, Kajidata advisor Prof Datuk Seri Syed Arabi Idid noted that traditional media channels such as television (40 per cent) and radio (20 per cent) were unable to compete with the lure of social media and the internet.
The former Rector of the International Islamic University Malaysia remarked that the digital age has further marginalised print media, evident in the study’s data, where only 20 per cent engaged with print media during the week.
This influence was notably evident during the recent six-state election in August, where political parties ramped up their online presence, even engaging in divisive politics by exploiting issues related to race, religion, and the royals (the 3R issue).
However, Haris cautioned that the sheer reach of political parties on social media doesn’t necessarily translate to political dominance.
“This is because they make ‘paid appearances’ and, as such, do not accurately reflect the party’s actual strength,” he said.
Syed Arabi further pointed out another significant finding from a study conducted just before the six-state election in August, slightly more than half of Malaysians indicated they would vote for the party rather than the candidate.
While Malays, other Bumiputeras, and Chinese voters predominantly supported the party, slightly more than half of Indian and other ethnic groups favoured individual candidates.Haris highlighted that this trend is particularly noticeable among supporters of parties like PAS, who prioritise the party over the candidate as seen in the six-state election.
Furthermore, the popularity of the country’s leaders when compared with earlier studies has seen fluctuations, which, according to Syed Arabi, reflects the high expectations placed on leaders and the realities faced by the people. – Bernama /NST
Despite police warnings, PAS veep says won’t stop its members from joining ‘Save Malaysia’ rally today
KUALA LUMPUR — PAS is not barring its members from participating in the “Save Malaysia” rally planned to be held at Kampung Baru here, party vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said today.
Mohd Amar, who is also Kelantan legislative assembly speaker, said the Islamist party has given no official instructions for members to join or stay away from the rally, organised by groups supportive of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition that is scheduled to start at 2pm at Masjid Jamek in the capital city, Utusan Malaysia reported.
“For us, there is no problem if anyone wants to participate in the gathering because this is the people’s way of expressing their feelings. There are no official bans or instructions so far,” he was quoted as telling reporters in Kota Baru, Kelantan this morning.
A group of Malay Muslim organisations comprising Ummah, student group Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Se-Malaysia and Perkasa have banded together, calling themselves the Save Malaysia Movement, to organise the rally to coincide with Malaysia Day today.
The movement had previously been reported to be backed by PN parties PAS, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, and Gerakan.
Parti Pejuang Tanahair later announced that it will join the rally too.
The rally is planned for 2pm at Masjid Kampung Baru here.
PN Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said the coalition would lead the rally to protest the discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) granted on September 8 to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who was trial for 47 charges of misappropriating RM31 millon from the charitable organisation he founded called Yayasan Akalbudi.
He said Zahid’s DNAA has disillusioned Malaysians, requiring the rally to “Save Malaysia” from the corrupt in a callback to the 2016 Bersih rally calling for Datuk Seri Najib Razak to resign as the prime minister at the time over the 1MDB scandal.
He also added the rally also focus on protesting the country’s legal system which is alleged to be in an acute state.
A DNAA means an accused person has not been cleared and can be tried with the same charges again at a later date.
Police top brass including its Inspector General Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, and Kelantan police chief Datuk Muhamad Zaki Harun have all warned the public against participating in the planned rally.
IGP Razarudin said the rally is not the way forward to save Malaysia as its sovereignty is not being threatened, adding that the gathering could disrupt activities on a public holiday and cause public disorder and disharmony.
The police top brass have said stern action will be taken against the organisers and participants if the rally proceeds. MM
NST / MALAY MAIL
.