Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the decision to allow MPs to wear Malaysian batik in Parliament would get the ball rolling for more batik-related initiatives.
“We have been talking about this (allowing batik in the august house), even when Barisan Nasional was the government,” said Nancy.
“This is to give MPs an option. It is a recognition of the Malaysian batik producers and manufacturers and to motivate them.”
Nancy’s proposal for Malaysian batik to be allowed in the Dewan Rakyat was unanimously passed after the motion was tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law ) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar today.
This morning, Twentytwo13 revealed that the announcement would take place today and that lawmakers would be allowed to wear Malaysia batik every Thursday, starting this week.
“We will continue assisting them (crafters and sellers). There are more plans to elevate the industry.
“I am going to make sure we start wearing Malaysian batik for more functions. The other plan is to promote Malaysian songket,” said Nancy.
She also said it was time to get Malaysians to appreciate local designs.
“We cannot compete with Indonesia, with the wide usage of its batik … they do not have to promote it. Wherever we go, we see Indonesian batik. We are not stopping people from wearing Indonesian batik, but we want people to appreciate Malaysian batik.
“We want to help our crafters. We need to popularise and pay more attention to Malaysian batik,” said Nancy, adding that her ministry has several initiatives that would assist those in the local batik industry.
Here are Twentytwo13’s news highlights for today.
ZAHID IS FREE TO FLY TO GERMANY TO VISIT SPECIALIST
Shah Alam High Court judge Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa has granted Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi temporary return of his passport to go to Germany for medical treatment.
The temporary release of the passport would not affect Ahmad Zahid’s next trial date on Oct 22.
His lawyer, Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Zainal, said Ahmad Zahid suffers from back and neck pain and needed treatment from a leading specialist in Munich.
On Oct 7, another of Ahmad Zahid’s lawyers Hamidi Mohd Noh, said his client had applied to the Kuala Lumpur High Court for his passport to be released on Oct 26 and returned on Nov 21.
Ahmad Zahid faces 47 charges – 12 for criminal breach of trust, eight for corruption, and 27 for money laundering – involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.
LOWEST NUMBER OF COVID-19 CASES SINCE JULY 5
The number of new Covid-19 cases dropped to 6,709 today, the lowest since July 5 (6,387).
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that took the total to 2,346,303 infections since the pandemic began.
SPEAKER ALLOWS MPS TO REMOVE FACE MASKS WHILE DEBATING
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun said today MPs could remove their face masks when debating.
They however, must put on their face mask as soon as they finish speaking.
Azhar said the decision was made after the Health Ministry did a Covid-19 risk assessment in Parliament. He said thus far, no one in Parliament grounds had tested positive for Covid-19.
MALAYSIA MUST PROMOTE WRESTLING, SAYS MASZLEE MALIK
Former education minister Maszlee Malik has asked Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa to promote local wrestling.
Maszlee said there is potential for a Malaysian professional wrestling circuit as the country has well-known wrestlers like Nor ‘Phoenix’ Diana and Ayez Shaukat Fonseka Farid.
“I suggest RTM and other government channels help kickstart this industry. This will help lift the name of Malaysia while entertaining Malaysians,” Mazlee said in a parliamentary question to Annuar.
Annuar said he said he was ready and willing to work with relevant bodies on professional wrestling and suggested Maszlee organise a meeting between him and local professional wrestlers.
Shaukat was invited by former WWE and WCW champion Booker T to join his company last year, but he could not go due to the Covid-19 travel ban
The hijab-wearing Phoenix made international headlines when she beat four male wrestlers in 2019.
MORE THAN 2,000 HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE COVID-19 VACCINE
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad has revealed that 2,286 students from higher education institutions have not received their Covid-19 vaccines due to health conditions.
The good news is that as of Oct 1, 951,739 out of 1.15 million students were fully vaccinated.
Noraini added 90 per cent of the staff, or 117,721 people, are fully vaccinated.
She said if the presence of unvaccinated students is unavoidable, higher education institutions would have to ensure stringent measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.
