KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz launched the 'Cartoon and Us Exhibition' at the Department of Museums Malaysia here today.
He said the collaboration between the department and Malaysian Cartoon and Comic House (MCCH) in organising the exhibition could help to preserve country’s caricature art heritage and bring great moral values to the public.
“This exhibition bring together talented cartoonists in the country so that they can present their work to the public.
“Cartoon is a form of art that has its own philosophy and aims, and a reflection of what is happening in our country.
“I believe that it is important for us to preserve the country’s heritage as this kind of art can carry good morale message for the society, as well as change their mindset in a good way through a cartoonist’s unique drawing and writing,” he said.
“We can sometimes be too rigid and conservative, so the cartoon industry can present a more subtle critic toward issues in the country.
“As politicians, we are all subject to criticisms from the public. So, rather than being against it, we can learn to accept them positively,” he told the New Straits Times.
Department of Museums Malaysia director-general Datuk Kamarul Bahrin Kasim said the national museums’s 2018 event calendar comprised 150 programmes for visitors.
“We prepared programmes at 20 of our museums for this year and are expecting more than three million visitors,” said Kamarul.
Present at the launch were Tourism and Culture Ministry deputy secretary-general (culture) Saraya Arbi and deputy secretary-general (tourism) Haslina Hamid and 200 cartoonist from across the country.
The public can visit the Cartoon and Us Exhibition from now until April 15.