KUALA LUMPUR: The organisation of the Batik Lestari Design Competition and Batik Lestari Festival are efforts to promote and elevate local batik works on the world stage. Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said that the programme, which was an idea initiated by Anwar, has been successfully implemented by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) in collaboration with MyCreative Ventures Group.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Wan Azizah expressed that the Prime Minister’s initiative to promote batik as a heritage is commendable. The Securities Commission has organized the event effectively, bringing together top batik entrepreneurs. She shared these insights after officiating the Batik Lestari Festival, highlighting that incorporating artisan works into the ASEAN-Malaysia 2025 chairmanship is a strategic move to boost the local batik industry.

The Batik Lestari Design Competition, which ran from September 16 to October 31, culminated in a two-day festival that
began today. The event celebrated the creativity of local artisans, with Muhammad Nazri Mat Nasir from Kota Bharu, Kelantan, emerging as the main winner. He was awarded a cash prize of RM30,000 and a trophy, presented by Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa.

The festival also saw the presence of notable figures, including SC chairman Datuk Mohammad Faiz Azmi, MyCreative Ventures Group CEO Zainariah Johar, and Bernama CEO Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin. Muhammad Nazri, the competition’s winner, expressed his surprise at the accolade but vowed to contribute his best works for Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship next year, using this opportunity to showcase local batik on an international platform.

He emphasized his commitment to the batik industry and encouraged more young people to participate in producing local batik, thus ensuring its growth and recognition on the global stage.