MALAYSIA GOVT LOOKING INTO CONTINUOUS EFFORT TO PROMOTE M'SIAN CULTURE IN U.S.

From Hafizah Kamaruddin

WASHINGTON, April 12 (Bernama) -- The Information Communication and Culture
Ministry is studying whether there should be continuous effort to promote
Malaysian culture and arts in the United States, says its minister Dr
Rais Yatim.

He said the ministry's first cultural programme in the US, the "Faces of
1Malaysia Festival" held at the National Geographic Society building here since
Saturday was well received by visitors.

"This festival is a success, and we are viewing it not just from the vision
and concept aspects, but also the content which portray Malaysian culture, arts
and way of life," he told Malaysian journalists here.

Rais had earlier attended the launching of the festival which showcases the
culture and arts of Malaysia's multi-racial society, besides Malaysian food,
handicraft and tourism, by the prime minister's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

He said National Geographic Museum director Susan E.S. Norton, who is also
the organising chairman of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, held in
Washington each year in March and April, had invited Malaysia to participate in
this spring festival.


"If it's benefical and practical, we may regularly take part in this
festival," said Rais who also viewed such a programme as an important aspect in
building world diplomacy, and networking and cooperation in culture and arts.
"When diplomacy fails, culture will succeed," he added.

Rais said the cooperation between Malaysia and the National Geographic
Society which previously only involved producing documentary films would be
expanded to include culture and the arts through a RM2.2 million allocation with
the cooperation of the Tourism Ministry.

He said trainers in Malaysian cultural dances, folk songs and music could be
sent to train Malaysians in the US to enable them to stage cultural performances
for Malaysia here.

He also said that cooperation between Malaysia's National Film Development
Corporation (Finas) and the National Geographic Society in producing
documentaries would also be stepped up and this would be discussed during
Norton's visit to Kuala Lumpur soon.

The cooperation had produced high-quality documentaries such as on the Orang
Utan sanctuary in Sepilok, Sabah titled "Among the Great Apes with Michelle
Yeoh", on silat in "Fight Masters: Silat", the installation of Tuanku Mizan
Zainal Abidin as Malaysian King, and the building of the SMART tunnel carried by
the National Discovery channel which helped promote Malaysia to the
world, he said.

Meanwhile, Norton also hoped that cooperation and collaboration with the
Malaysian government could be enhanced, and she was thrilled that the
organisation was able to assist Malaysia in bringing its cultural show to
Washington.

She said the society which was set up in 1888 had carried its first
article on Malaysia in its magazine in 1900 and the latest, last January.

-- BERNAMA