Saturday, November 28, 2009

Sibu In The Blue Ocean - Part 23

The fourth Blue Ocean Strategy that Tan Kee Hian perceived for Sibu is to turn the Little Foochow into an Art and Crafts Cluster.

Kee Hian's perception was based on the following:

1. Sarawak has rich history of traditional arts and crafts.
2. There is good global market for natural and value-added wood-based products.
3. Arts and crafts are attractive tourist souvenirs and memorabilia.
4. Presently, we only have small scale passionate craftsmen and artists.
5. What we have now in Sarawak is only minimal/non-existent business systems and practice.
6. There is unpredictable income stream and future for the craftsmen and artists.

The picture shows Dato' Seri Wong Soon Koh in full attention to Tan Kee Hian's talk. Photo: Liong

8 comments:

Ensurai said...

A place needs to have a well maintained arts and crafts centre/centres.....
A living art centre where artists develop their crafts would be very attractive (giving courses and having exhibitions)
Art centres where musicians perform give the town a greater attraction as people need some artistic culture to enrich themselves.
We must give Sibu a face lift - it has been too long dubbed a "cultural desert".
Our younger generation must be trained to appreciate art and culture...not just to worship money and materialism.
Would Sibu create the tallest Cross inthe world for Christmas one year?
Would Sibu hold musical concerts to last one whole month of December?
Would Sibu hold a month long exhibition of agricultural products and history of rubber in Sarawak?
I believe that if we have the cultural will we can even have a living Foochow museum where volunteers/ senior citizens and other interested people re-enact the early days of Sibu (re American Civil War)

Just some ideas...

Ensurai said...

I know some countries have identified their "national treasures" of artists and musicians and award them with living pensions of around RM 2000 -3000 a month. There is this famous Chinese artist who does paper cutting and she is about 75 and is from a very remote country side. Each year she goes to Beijing for her exhibition. Other times she gives classes to the younger generation.

Just a thought.

Tony Hii said...

Changyi, your input is appreciated. We need more people like you to step forward to give some thought-provoking ideas to Sibu.

Anonymous said...

Should Sibu become China-ed ? Tony, you graduated from Australia and so are many Foochows from Sibu. Just because of Wong Nai Siong ? What is this thing about China that Sibuian folks are crazy about ? Some China people are richer than Sibu people. Does this qualify their identity here in Sibu ? There are two experiences in Sibu. One in Ngui Kee. The other in Parkson. The impression is the salesgirls did not allow the clothing merchandise to be touched. If this is the case, those particular brands should stop doing business in these two shopping centres and concentrade their business on large cities like Kuala Lumpur. The next experience is with which brand ? The tallest Jesus Christ is in Brazil.

Anonymous said...

We need a strong ARTS COUNCIL and proper funding systems to help e.g. Australian Art Council which helps Aboriginal Arts.

Islamic nations support arts and crafts with a lot money.

This goes back to Palace Recognition in the olden days when the Royals supported the ARTS and CRAFTS.

Sad to say No Money No Talk. Again depends on the artistic talents also. No talent No Talk.

Apek bo lui.

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