Tiong urges ministry, departments to collaborate on preserving intangible cultural heritage

KUALA LUMPUR - Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has called on his ministry as well as the National Heritage Department (JWN) and the National Culture and Arts Department (JKKN) to work together in preserving the country’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH).

He said the parties involved need to jointly create a plan that includes protection, development and promotion.

Tiong also suggested that all ICH objects, art and national culture be integrated and digitised in a special gallery or 'Village of Malaysian Art, Culture and Heritage' as a new cultural tourism product for foreigners.

He said this in a statement issued today by his ministry after the conclusion of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Conference which began on Monday at the Tun Abdul Razak Chancellor's Hall of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

The conference with the theme ‘Sustainability of Intangible Cultural Heritage' featured three main topics, namely 'Community-based Inventory', 'Intangible Cultural Heritage and Communities' and 'Endangered Intangible Cultural Heritage'.

The statement added that the success of the conference would prove that the government was committed to protecting the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge and skills of a community or group in Malaysia. - BERNAMA