Answer for Oral Question PL128

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Awang Haji Salleh Bostaman bin Haji Zainal Abidin

YANG BERHORMAT AWANG HAJI SALLEH BOSTAMAN BIN HAJI ZAINAL ABIDIN requested the MENTERI KEBUDAYAAN, BELIA DAN SUKAN to state the Ministry’s measures to recognise and develop ethnic-based cultural heritage in the districts so that it is not only preserved, but also functions as a source of employment and income opportunities for local communities, including senior citizens, and helps reduce rural-urban migration.

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan

As the authority responsible for safeguarding and preserving the country’s heritage and culture, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (KKBS) will remain committed to strengthening the development of ethnic-based cultural heritage in every district. These efforts are aimed not only at ensuring that such heritage continues to be preserved and practised by future generations, but also at making it a source of employment and income opportunities for local communities, including senior citizens. This approach is also seen as having the potential to contribute to the economic development of rural communities while helping to reduce the migration of residents to urban areas.

To date, various initiatives have been implemented to provide platforms for communities to showcase and market their cultural heritage. These include the organisation of cultural events such as Festival Kebudayaan Tujuh Puak, Perjalanan Kebudayaan, Muziumku Warisanku and Cabaran Larian Sejarah Brunei, which showcase the diversity of customs and traditions, performing arts, traditional food and handicrafts from various districts. Such platforms provide opportunities for cultural practitioners and local communities to promote heritage handicraft products such as textiles, woven products, traditional clothing, heritage food and cultural arts demonstrations to local visitors and tourists.

In addition, the Brunei Museums Department’s efforts in researching, documenting and conserving cultural heritage continue to be strengthened on an ongoing basis with the involvement of local communities, particularly traditional enterprise operators. The findings of this research are disseminated through scholarly publications, exhibitions and various collaborative activities, which also serve as platforms for promoting the communities’ cultural products. At the same time, the museums encourage the participation of senior citizens involved in traditional enterprises to market their products at museum premises, thereby creating income-generation opportunities through sales to visitors.

In this regard, KKBS, together with its strategic partners, also encourages the development of local cultural products such as handicrafts, traditional clothing, heritage food and performing arts through skills training programmes, intergenerational knowledge-transfer workshops, and participation in cultural exhibitions and festivals. For example, Baju Kebaya and the Berpantun tradition have received recognition from UNESCO, demonstrating that the region’s cultural heritage has significant value at the international level and should continue to be preserved and promoted. Through such recognition, the Ministry can expand its cultural promotion efforts through festivals, exhibitions, cultural education programmes and community-based tourism activities. This approach not only helps maintain the cultural identity of the community, but also creates economic opportunities for local communities and ensures that cultural heritage remains relevant to national development.

Alhamdulillah, in anticipation of Tahun Melawat Brunei 2027 in conjunction with the Sambutan Perayaan Jubli Intan of Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei, these efforts will continue to be strengthened as an opportunity to expand the participation of communities, including ethnic communities throughout the country, in showcasing their cultural heritage and making it a source of income generation through cultural tourism, handicraft enterprises and local heritage products.