Answer for Oral Question PL269

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Dayang Chong Chin Yee

YANG BERHORMAT DAYANG CHONG CHIN YEE asks MENTERI KEBUDAYAAN, BELIA DAN SUKAN to state whether the ministry will consider a weekly mandate for the public to wear local woven fabric and batik as an effort to develop the local textile industry and celebrate the nation’s cultural identity, taking into account Brunei’s success in contributing to the inscription of the Kebaya under the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO?

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan

1. Thank you Yang Berhormat Pehin Yang Di-Pertua and Yang Berhormat Dayang Chong Chin Yee for the suggestion to consider a weekly mandate for wearing local woven fabric and batik as an effort to uphold the nation’s cultural identity as well as support the development of the local textile industry.

2. We are pleased to inform that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (KKBS) remains committed to preserving, promoting and educating the public on the symbolic values and identity embodied in Brunei woven fabric and local batik. These fabrics are not merely textiles, but a cultural heritage that has become deeply integrated into the lives of Bruneian society, across generations, ethnicities and social strata. Their use has already become customary in traditional ceremonies, official events, and also as daily attire by part of the community on a voluntary basis.

3. In relation to the proposal to make this a weekly mandate, such an approach is not yet considered necessary at this time because the practice of wearing traditional fabrics is still growing organically in our society, including among the youth. This success is the result of motivation- and incentive-based approaches such as the creation of new fashion designs, attractive headscarf pairings, as well as the organisation of exhibitions and promotional events that have rekindled interest in textile heritage. Their use is especially evident in ceremonial customs, state events, wedding ceremonies, Cultural Festivals, and Traditional Games Festivals, which also incorporate elements of weaving and traditional attire as a medium of cultural expression.

4. However, KKBS does not rule out the possibility of implementing a more structured encouragement policy in the future, should there be public desire and national strategic need. KKBS also takes note of the challenges should a mandatory approach be implemented, particularly for woven fabric which is a prestigious and exclusive commodity, as its daily use risks diluting its symbolic meaning and heritage value.

5. In terms of industry development, the Cultural and Creative Industry, including woven fabric and batik, has contributed between 2 and 3 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) based on the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) approach. These products have been exhibited at regional and international levels, and are supported by various studies and publications such as Aplikasi Mencipta Rekabentuk dan Bunga Tenunan, Mewarna Kain Tenunan, and Melestarikan Permainan Tradisi Kitani. A gazetting strategy has also been implemented together with the Attorney General’s Chambers through efforts to register woven fabric as a Geographical Indication (GI), in cooperation with experts from WIPO who were invited to provide training and assessment. The next step is nomination into the UNESCO list in the near future.

6. In conclusion, the Ministry’s approach is flexible, inclusive and phased, with emphasis on strengthening cultural awareness, creative incentives and community support, and empowering the local textile industry as both heritage and an economic driver. Without denying the high cultural value embodied in the wearing of Brunei woven fabric and batik, the ministry will continue to support efforts that celebrate the nation’s cultural identity in a sustainable and progressive manner.

7. That is all that can be elaborated, thank you.