SIBU: Iban traditional handicrafts should not only be preserved as a cultural heritage but also developed into a viable source of income for local communities, said Bawang Assan assemblyman Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh.
Wong, who is also Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) senior vice president, said traditional craftsmanship, including its distinctive patterns, motifs, weaving techniques and designs, carried the identity of the Iban community and should be passed down to younger generations.
“The continuation of traditional handicrafts depended on younger people learning and practising the skills inherited from their mothers and grandmothers.
“Culture will only remain alive if we continue to practise it, learn it and pass it on to the younger generation,” he said when officiating at the opening ceremony of the PDP N52 Bawang Assan Handicraft Workshop held at Rumah Suda Majoy here on Saturday.
Wong said the workshop should therefore serve as more than a platform for participants to learn handicraft-making skills, but also as a stepping stone towards creating new economic opportunities.
He encouraged participants to move beyond producing handicrafts solely for personal or household use and instead focus on developing attractive, distinctive and high-quality products with commercial value.
“If our products are good enough, we should not limit ourselves to the Sibu or Sarawak market. We should look beyond Sarawak and Malaysia and explore overseas markets,” he said.
With the growing use of e-commerce and digital platforms, Wong said geographical boundaries were no longer a major obstacle for local handicraft producers seeking wider markets.
He highlighted China as one potential market and said he was prepared to help explore opportunities to identify agents or business partners there who could assist in marketing and selling Sarawak handicrafts.
However, he stressed that product quality must come first before local handicrafts could compete successfully in international markets.
“We should develop products that carry the unique identity of Sarawak and the Iban culture, while also meeting the tastes and expectations of modern consumers,” he said.
Wong said successful commercialisation of traditional handicrafts could provide additional household income while simultaneously ensuring that valuable cultural knowledge remained relevant.
He also expressed hope that participants at the workshop would eventually progress from small-scale production into handicraft entrepreneurship and establish their own businesses.
Beyond economic empowerment, he said the workshop also demonstrated the importance of strengthening community ties.
He said bringing people together to learn, exchange ideas and share experiences could foster friendship, mutual support and cooperation among residents.
“Bawang Assan is a large and diverse constituency. We have different communities, cultures and backgrounds. But our diversity should not divide us. Instead, it should make us stronger,” he said.
Wong also urged PDP N52 Bawang Assan leaders and members to maintain close engagement with grassroots communities and continue organising programmes that allowed them to better understand residents’ needs.
He said such programmes should not be viewed merely as political activities, but as opportunities to meet residents directly, identify their concerns and find ways to assist them.
At the same time, he called on community leaders to assist eligible residents in identifying and registering as voters, particularly Undi18 voters as well as those working or studying outside the constituency.
Wopng said everyone who was eligible should be aware of their rights and able to fulfil their responsibilities as citizens.
He hoped the handicraft workshop would become a continuing initiative rather than a one-off programme, with greater efforts made to train more women, preserve Iban handicraft traditions, increase household income and open up wider markets.
“Let us transform our handicrafts from a heritage of the past into an economic asset for the future,” he added.
