KUALA LUMPUR - The prime minister’s wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail presented two craft entrepreneur awards in conjunction with the National Craft Day 2023 (HHK 2023) at the Craft Complex here today.
The Young Craft Entrepreneur award was presented to Zulhelmy Hamdan from Ezryhelmy Enterprise while Muhamad Isa Saad from KWM Craft received the Craft Entrepreneur 2023 award.
Dr Wan Azizah also spent an hour visiting exhibition booths set up by exhibitors from Sarawak, Pahang and Terengganu as part of the HKK 2023 celebrations officiated by Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, which was also attended by Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
This year’s celebrations, with the theme ‘Ini Kraf Malaysia’, takes place from March 1 to 13, with an estimated sales of RM16 million and 185,000 visitors targetted.
Tiong said in his speech that HKK 2023 is aimed to create awareness and raise the knowledge of Malaysians about local crafts.
"This concept is in line with the concept of racial unity championed through the concept of Malaysia MADANI by Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibarhim),” he said, adding that the craft industry continued to show positive development in rebounding from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic after recording a 44.4 per cent increase in sales last year compared to 2021.
Tiong also said his ministry has begun campaigns and are redoubling their efforts to promote Visit Malaysia Year 2025 locally and abroad to make it a success.
He said this was because the tourism, arts and culture sector played a very important role in the economic development of the country. - BERNAMA