KUALA LUMPUR: Those in government-linked companies and in the private sector are urged to wear batik on Thursdays to create more demand for the industry.
The Prime Minister's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor said currently, only government officers were encouraged to wear batik every Thursday.
"In a continuous effort to promote the batik industry, it is important that we 'create the demand' for it.
"To this end, I call upon all government-linked companies and the private sector to also urge their staff to wear batik on the same day of the week (Thursday)," she said at the launch of the National Crafts Day 2016 at the Craft Complex here today.
Meanwhile, Rosmah said crafts were indeed a cultural and heritage identify for Malaysia.
She said it was heartening to note that batik had become the most popular craft product.
She applauded the initiative taken by Kraftangan Malaysia to ensure the quality of batik production, through the introduction of Standard MS 692:2007, which is also applied to the production of songket and tenun.
"I have been informed that 51 batik entrepreneurs have received this quality standard certificate and adhered to the criteria set.
"This quality standard will be the benchmark for consumers when buying batik products and ultimately give (them) confidence that Malaysian made batik is of high quality.
"With this, I urge other craft entrepreneurs who have yet to set the standard quality of their batik to benefit from this initiative by Kraftangan," she said in her speech.
Rosmah said she herself had taken the initiative to promote batik and songket to fashion capitals like Paris and Milan.