Press & Reviews

The Star - Tuesday July 4, 2006

Move to market dying trades
By BERNARD SEE

In an effort to revive certain dying trades such as clog (kah kiak in Hokkien) making, the Lestari Heritage Network will showcase such trades at the Upper Penang Road (UPR).

State Tourism Development and Environment Committee chairman Teng Chang Yeow said the showcase to be called ‘Little Penang Street Market’ will be held every last Sunday of the month starting on July 30.

Lestari Heritage Network is a non-governmental organisation which promotes heritage as a community resource, and historical areas as arenas for cultural and civic life.

Its office is housed at a pre-war house in Armenian Street where charismatic Chinese leader Dr Sun Yat Sen made his base when he was in Penang.

Teng said the state government and the UPR Promotional Society fully supported the showcase as it provided artisans with a good platform to get together and sell their products at the same time.

“The showcase will also stimulate the local arts and craft deve-lopment and contribute to the rebranding of Penang as a contemporary tourism destination,” he told a press conference yesterday.

Organising chairman Khoo Salma Nasution said the main aim of the showcase was to upgrade local arts, crafts and culture by providing design and marketing support to artists, artisans and cultural entrepreneurs.

“The showcase is made possible after the New York-based Insti-tute for Cultural Enterprise gave the Lestari Heritage Network a US$50,000 (RM185,000) grant.

“We hope to give the dying trades a new lease of life by contemporising the products and making it more appealing. For example, the clogs can be made more attractive by adding designs to it.

“We are also appealing for private sponsors as the grant will only be able to sustain the showcase for a short period of time. Interested parties can contact Adeline Ong (012-317 5498) for more information,” she said.

Khoo Salma added the launch of the showcase would feature a Jimmy Boyle-tribute performance by The Rozells and also works by Rebecca Duckett Wilkinson and Fuan Wong.

Market times are from 10am to 8pm and admission is free. More information can be obtained by logging on to http://www.lestariheritage.net

---