BRUNEI handicrafts were on display at the Asean Textile Exhibition here in Bali in the country's bid to showcase its traditions and prowess in folk handicraft.
Showcased at the Bali International Convention Centre, three Bruneianentrepreneurs who were flown to the tourist island courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) have been minding the Brunei exhibition stall since Wednesday.
A senior official from the MoFAT's Department of International Trade who agreed to speak to The Brunei Times on the condition of anonymity said that the ministry collaborated with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports to promote Brunei's local handmade products during the exhibition.
"We're giving opportunities to local SMEs to market their products here as they would be able to promote their products through the exhibition. At the same time, they would be able to establish business network with producers from Malaysia and Singapore for example," said the official.
"The local SMEs could also use the exhibition as a platform to share and listen to experiences from fellow producers in region."
Asmad Hj Umar of Asnika Enterprise, one of the exhibitors, has made a name for himself in producing quality traditional fabric which is highly sought after in Brunei.
Asmad said the exhibition was an opportunity to educate the community of Asean on Brunei's identity through the art of weaving.
"Although the artworks (have some semblance) of Malaysian and Indonesian influences, Brunei's design has an identity and motif of its own, which makes it unique to the eyes of those who appreciate the art of handicraft making," said Asmad.
He said a number of delegates from various countries have visited his booth, as well as VVIPs which included Indonesia's first lady.
Sharing the booth with Asnika was another local firm Batik Desamas, owned by batik designer ZainalAbidin Ibrahim.
Eyeing overseas markets, Zainal was hoping to seize the opportunity to promote his Batik products through new channels knowing that delegates from the US and Brazil would be visiting.
Zainal Abidin recently developed an innovative system that will allow his batik to be mass produced in order to capitalise on the regional and possibly global market.
The innovation, he said, is "Digital Batik", in which he applies advanced software and engineering todigitalise his hand-drawn work, which can then be replicated to produce a whole range of Batik products from apparels to bedsheets. A prototype of a few of his products were displayed on the Brunei booth.
Meanwhile, Hjh Robiah Hj Ampal, designer and proprietorof woven Brunei handicrafts (under her company Hikmah Enterprise) showcased her signature sinjang, a cloth Malay males normally wear around their waists to complement the national costume, baju melayu.
Hj Robiah, who has participated in a number of expos in various countries over the years, said that the textile fair was an opportunity to not just promote her products, but also to get inspiration from foreign exhibitors on new design ideas for her future designs.
Unlike the trade expos whichshe has participated in Malaysia in recent years however, Hj Robiah said that the current exhibitionhas not gained much consumer traffic.
"The Summit is held near here, hence the security has been very tight around this compound, and the venue is not open to the public except for Asean delegates and officials with passes," she said.
The exhibition was aimed to broaden the visitors' insight on the cultural similarities between the Aseannations through the art of hand woven textiles. It was also a one-stop-shopping avenue for the delegates of the Asean Summit looking to bring home quality souveniers from the Southeast Asian countries.
Through handwoven products, the exhibition showcases the diversity of the Asean's cultural heritage and also the similarities of national history, culture and the community of the region.
Around 150 textile exhibitors from Asean countries participated in the exhibition, with more than 1,200 handcrafted products being showcased on the exhibition floor.
The Brunei Times
http://www.bt.com.bn/business-national/2011/11/20/brunei-handicrafts-show-bali
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