The Queen, who is the royal patron of Citra, said she has always thought there should be a body to look after the interests of local craftspeople, weavers, designers, and marketers of traditional cloth to enrich Malaysia’s textile heritage.
“For years I have pushed for an association like this to be formed because I am passionate about learning, preserving and expanding this art form,” she said in a speech read by Tengku Puteri Seri Kemala Pahang Tengku Datuk Aishah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
The Raja Permaisuri Agong has been lauded for her initiative in, among others, starting a rehabilitation programme for prison inmates training them in tenun and songket weaving as well as batik making.
She is also credited with reviving the Tenun Pahang Diraja or Royal Pahang Weave, which will be included in special collections by Dolce Gabbana and Manolo Blahnik during London Crafts Week in May.
Citra – the brainchild of former Universiti Teknologi Mara lecturers Fatimah Ismail and the late professor Sulaiman Ghani – was proposed several years ago, with the aim of nurturing local artisans and helping them produce textiles the country can be proud of.
“Other countries have long formed such associations… Indonesia and Thailand, for instance, developed their crafts by sharing their skills,” the Queen said.
“This is definitely a step in the right direction.”
‘Meaningful impact’
Meanwhile, Citra president Nini Marini Ramlan said in order for the association to have a meaningful impact, it must focus on building and developing a community of textile lovers throughout Malaysia.
To that end, the organisation wants to meet as many relevant parties as it can to establish connections in each state and strengthen its network – including but not limited to artisans, designers, educational institutions, entrepreneurs and businesses.
“The eventual aim is to create a directory for traditional textiles, including foreign connections, that will be exclusively for our members… this way, makers can share techniques, exchange ideas, and create business opportunities for themselves.
“With exposure, we can help raise the standard of our textiles and be innovative in our techniques.”
Citra’s upcoming plans include a pattern-making competition to encourage participants to explore textile design, as well as engagement with local craftspeople in the east-coast states scheduled to take place after Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
The association will also participate in the 8th ASEAN Traditional Textile Symposium next year, which Malaysia has been nominated to host.
Citra membership is open to all Malaysians. The lifetime membership fee is RM150, while the fee for students is RM125. Learn more about the association via its Instagram profile.