KUALA LUMPUR: Senator Tan Sri Rais Yatim has called for the establishment of a creative arts university to nurture local talents, which would in turn propagate creative arts policies and provide talented Malaysians with an avenue to excel.
Rais, who is also Dewan Negara president, said the creative industry has the potential to generate an estimated RM28 billion a year, thus, providing a multitude of jobs.
"At the same time, we also need to establish scholarships for enthusiastic and talented youths to pursue programmes in creative arts – be it in music, cultural arts, cinematography and the like.
"Concerted efforts should begin at schools, colleges and universities, too, as people just love creative songs and movies.
"I strongly believe that the creative arts industry will continue to thrive and not suffer a sunset, for the benefit of the next generation," he said after being awarded an honorary doctorate in creative arts (cultural arts planner) by the National Arts Culture and Heritage Academy (Aswara) in Jalan Tun Ismail.
The award was presented by Aswara rector Prof Ruslan Abdul Rahim.
Rais cautioned that if Malaysia failed to foster indigenous creative talent, it would be overwhelmed by those from the United State's Hollywood, India's Bollywood, Hong Kong and even Thailand.
"It appears that we are waning in this aspect and not progressive enough. This also includes the lukewarm approach to promoting batik, silver and gold handicrafts, wayang kulit, cinematography and local production of films.
"Foreign movie stars are more popular among Malaysians than our very own talents like P. Ramlee and others. Why, we are also in danger of losing our (national) language, and hence with it our culture as well," he said.
Rais said the electronic medium such as television was a very important tool to propagate the local language, culture and creative industry.
He called on the authorities to offer tax exemption and incentives to promote the creative industry.
"We need more creative writers to promote our historical moments and heritage. The national allocation towards the creative industry is also too small," he said.
Meanwhile, Ruslan, commenting on the honorary doctorate, said Rais was only the third Malaysian to receive the award after former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali.
He said Rais had played a key role towards the planning and development of cultural arts when the latter served as the minister managing cultural affairs – first as Culture, Arts and Heritage minister and later as socio-cultural adviser to the government.
"For over half a century, Rais had designed the face and soul of arts, culture and heritage of our country. He constantly fights for Malay social and cultural issues, and strives to preserve Malay arts, heritage, customs, language and culture.
"Rais also encourages the preservation and promotion of national heritage as enshrined within the National Heritage Act 2005, so that the younger set – especially schoolchildren and university undergraduates - are exposed to Malay history, culture and arts," said Ruslan.
He added that Rais also fully supported the empowerment of arts and culture in schools and universities to ensure that the identity, enthusiasm, sense of belonging and virtues among students and society are kept alive.
Ruslan said institutions like Aswara benefited enormously from Rais' guidance and motivation to emerge as a centre of excellence in arts and heritage.
"Our graduates receive high-quality grooming and are much sought after by industry players owing to their capability, knowledge, experience and discipline," said Ruslan.