KUALA LUMPUR: The Tourism Ministry and Kraftangan Malaysia celebrated Hari Batik Malaysia (Batik Day) on Saturday.
Held at Kompleks Kraf Kuala Lumpur, Batik Day was the second celebration since the then prime minister declared Dec 3 as Batik Day last year.
Ministry secretary-general Datuk Saraya Arbi said Dec 3 was selected as Batik Day as a tribute to the late Tun Endon Mahmood, wife of former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
"She started the Malaysian Batik: Crafted for the World Movement on Dec 3, 2003, to put batik on the international scene.
"This declaration is the catalyst for empowering the batik craft industry through the use of batik in society."
Hari Batik Malaysia is also made more special with its inclusion in the Malaysia Book of Records for the most participants in a batik-colouring.
Saraya said more than 2,000 participants initiated the activity simultaneously.
" Participants from schools, ministries, government and private agencies, and members of the public took part here and at Kraftangan Malaysia branches.
"This activity provides exposure and understanding to participants on the technique, process and design of batik."
Saraya said: "Participants coloured batik patterns to create an amazing batik with variation of colours."
Saraya said Hari Batik was also aimed at promoting more creative and innovative entrepreneurs and the batik craft community.
"This opens up opportunities for entrepreneurs and the craft community to produce batik products using new patterns, techniques, and materials so that the industry can offer the best products to consumers.
"It will also boost the demand for batik products and in turn increase the income of entrepreneurs, communities and the entire chain of production.
"This effort is in line with the direction of Malaysian handicrafts, which is "Kraf Memperkasa Sosioekonomi Rakyat" (Crafts empowers people's socioeconomics)."
"The celebration of Malaysia Batik Day on Dec 3 and the 'This is Malaysia Batik' campaign has a positive impact on the craft industry.
"From January to October 2022, a total of RM236.1 million in sales value was generated.
"This is an increase of 53 per cent compared with the same period in 2021, whereby RM154.2 million in sales was generated.
"For the batik craft industry, the sales value generated for January to October 2022 was RM69.2 million compared with RM38.9 million in the same period in 2021.
"This proves that initiatives by Kraftangan Malaysia have boosted the batik craft industry, in particular, and the country's craft industry in general."
Kraftangan Malaysia also launched the Batik Malaysia logo, which is a brand of batik products produced by craft entrepreneurs registered with the agency.
The celebration on Saturday was the highlight of the "Ini Batik Malaysia" campaign that started on July 1.
The campaign was carried out through announcements and advertisements on social media and mass media, as well as roadshow activities at Parliament, ministries and government departments, shopping centres and visitor hotspots.