VM2026: BEST PLATFORM TO INTRODUCE LOCAL HANDICRAFT, RAISE HERITAGE AWARENESS

MELAKA, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- The organisation of Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) is seen as the best platform to raise awareness among local and international communities about heritage handicraft, including beaded shoes that are a cultural identity of the Peranakan community in Melaka.

Beaded shoe entrepreneur Ong Bee Hong said this effort is necessary because there is still a misconception among the people, with some thinking that beaded shoes are made by pasting (the beads), when in fact they are high-value hand-embroidered products.

"It's even more saddening when many still consider beaded shoes old-fashioned and unattractive because they only see the same patterns and colours. This is why I want to use the VM2026 as a medium to make the public aware that each pair of beaded shoes made is exclusive because even though the patterns may seem similar, the colour combinations are always different," she told Bernama.

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Ong, who has over 30 years of experience in the trade, said the efforts to bring the beaded shoe to the world stage by Kraftangan Malaysia through various mediums like exhibitions abroad cannot cease...the uniqueness of this craft is that each pair of shoes is different and valuable.

"Beaded shoes are just not accessories or heritage art pieces because each pair has its own unique story, and it's this kind of uniqueness that foreign customers love.

"If we just keep it as an antique, it will be lost, but if it's revived in a fresh, new form, it will last for generations, and more importantly, these beaded shoes, which are only made to order, can be adapted to contemporary fashion," she also said.

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Meanwhile, mini clog entrepreneur Koo Su Fen acknowledged that the organisation of VM2026 will open up greater opportunities to introduce local handicraft products, especially those that represent the image of a particular race, culture and state on the international stage.

“Therefore, the variety of sizes and affordable prices for these Melaka mini clogs are our main focus, considering the demand for these products is expected to increase throughout the VM2026.

"So, among our preparations is to make it in a tourist-friendly size to be used as a souvenir, with designs that cater to the tastes of children, teenagers and adults, while the price is reasonable because we understand that tourists have already spent a lot but still want to buy souvenirs to take home," she said.

She also said that the organisation of World Tourism Day (WTD) and World Tourism Conference (WTC) also serve as the best springboard for introducing local handicraft products to visitors, especially foreign delegates who have been arriving since Sept 27.

Over the course of three days, the feedback, especially from foreign delegates visiting our booth, has been very encouraging. So, this indicates that local handicrafts have excellent potential in the international market," she added.

-- BERNAMA