Ministry To Honour Champions Of Arts, Culture And Heritage.
Activists who champion the arts, culture and heritage should be recognised as "national living heritage", said Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.
He said at present recognition was given to buildings and fine arts but not to the people behind them.
"It is the people who translate all forms of arts and culture and fight for them, and they must be given due recognition," he told reporters after launching the Penang Cultural Festival and Classic Memory Impressions Programme at Auditorium P. Ramlee here Saturday.
Rais said the government was planning to develop human capital in the arts, culture and heritage sector in line with the National Heritage Act 2005.
Individuals who made huge contributions in the field would be given due recognition with incentives, awards and cash, he said, adding that he would seek the opinions of intellectuals on how to honour them.
"We will start the process of formulating the awards next year and this is a commendable progress in the arts, culture and heritage scene in the country," he said.
At the function, Penang-born composer Datuk Ahmad Nawab, 73, was accorded the Tokoh Seni Klasik (Leader of Classical Arts) award while actor Aziz Satar, 81, received a special award.
**** Ahmad Nawab is a legend in his own times and you don't have to be a Malay music enthusiast to know that. Aziz Sattar is of course equally well known. However what worries me is that, in the hurry to 'reward' individuals, the most deserving will not receive them, especially those who are not part of the 'mainstream' culture. While Rais Yatim personally is a fair-minded person, the same cannot be said of any committee that may decide on the honours. Therefore he has to see to it that any selection should be representative of the entire country and not merely a 'part' of it. Can he do that or will he, is anyone's guess. We'll know soon enough won't we?
He said at present recognition was given to buildings and fine arts but not to the people behind them.
"It is the people who translate all forms of arts and culture and fight for them, and they must be given due recognition," he told reporters after launching the Penang Cultural Festival and Classic Memory Impressions Programme at Auditorium P. Ramlee here Saturday.
Rais said the government was planning to develop human capital in the arts, culture and heritage sector in line with the National Heritage Act 2005.
Individuals who made huge contributions in the field would be given due recognition with incentives, awards and cash, he said, adding that he would seek the opinions of intellectuals on how to honour them.
"We will start the process of formulating the awards next year and this is a commendable progress in the arts, culture and heritage scene in the country," he said.
At the function, Penang-born composer Datuk Ahmad Nawab, 73, was accorded the Tokoh Seni Klasik (Leader of Classical Arts) award while actor Aziz Satar, 81, received a special award.
**** Ahmad Nawab is a legend in his own times and you don't have to be a Malay music enthusiast to know that. Aziz Sattar is of course equally well known. However what worries me is that, in the hurry to 'reward' individuals, the most deserving will not receive them, especially those who are not part of the 'mainstream' culture. While Rais Yatim personally is a fair-minded person, the same cannot be said of any committee that may decide on the honours. Therefore he has to see to it that any selection should be representative of the entire country and not merely a 'part' of it. Can he do that or will he, is anyone's guess. We'll know soon enough won't we?
posted by The Malaysian. at 8/06/2006 04:21:00 PM
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