GEORGE TOWN: The Communications and Multimedia Ministry (K-KOMM) is working to restore lost heritage and culture in an effort to revive the country's heritage art and creative industry.

Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin said as such, the ministry would visit every state to identify the heritage or culture that had inevitably disappeared.

"K-KOMM found out that some heritage and cultural activities in several states have disappeared over time, so we want to go to each state and see how we can restore them and call back those talents.

"For example, we are working to restore a lost heritage in Terengganu and in Perlis, we are reviving 'Awang Batil' to promote our cultural arts," he told reporters here last night. 

He was met after the Jaguh Boria final competition organised by RTM at Dewan Budaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia, with K-KOMM secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Mentek also present.

Zahidi said the effort to restore lost heritage and culture was important to make the creative industry a major contributor to the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

"Perhaps in the future, we will find a budget and a small allocation for each state to revive the heritage and culture that has disappeared. Towards this end, K-KOMM will also work with the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry. We will show the public, especially foreign tourists, that Malaysia is rich in culture," he said.

Commenting on the Jaguh Boria competition, he said RTM established a strategic partnership with the Penang Education Department and the state Department of Culture and Arts to organise the event to unearth new talents in the creative industry.

He said the competition was one of the ministry's initiatives to attract the interest of young people, especially school students, to the country's cultural arts and heritage.

In the competition, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) (P) Methodist emerged as champion and received a cash prize of RM30,000, while SMK Permatang Tok Jaya as runner-up received RM20,000 and SMK (P) St. George, third place, RM15,000.-- BERNAMA