SHAH ALAM - The coalition of arts practitioners in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor known as ReformARTsi is outraged and appalled that the current cabinet lineup makes no mention of arts and culture.
ReformARTsi asked for a more comprehensive and cohesive arts and culture policy, which can be best implemented if it has its own ministry: the Ministry of Arts and Culture.
The removal of arts and culture from the new government's ministerial portfolio, if not its complete invisibility, signals a stunning attack on the core of the already crippled arts sector.
Past governments had a Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture that combined the arts and tourism, which subtly established a hierarchy of values whereby the arts and culture were not only seen as supporting the growth of the tourism sector but also as tools for economic strategy.
The invisibility of a designated ministry for arts and culture is particularly troubling as there will be a lack of mechanisms to preserve the freedom of expression for Malaysian artists.
The arts communities are being crippled by the loss of continuous financing and support for artists' companies and practitioners.
Many people consider the arts to be important for cultural development, communal cohesiveness, cultural identity, entertainment, and consumer goods.
"However, we have not seen any significant government policies placing the arts as a priority in national development, and now there is not even a ministry for arts and culture to be considered." it said in a statement.
ReformARTsi does not agree that arts and culture should be developed merely for tourists or as commercial products for profit, and we believe arts and culture should be nurtured and developed for Malaysians.
ReformARTsi urges the government to focus on encouraging the rakyat to think critically and creatively, prioritize the exploration of novel artistic expressions, and use the arts to promote social harmony.
ReformARTsi is a collaboration of 118 Malaysian artists and 55 arts organizations which actively works to modify laws pertaining to funding for the arts, arts education, and freedom of expression.