MAIPK TO PUBLISH HERITAGE, CULTURE COMICS TO EDUCATE PUBLIC ON MALAY CUSTOMS

IPOH, Dec 15 (Bernama) -- The Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPk) will publish five Malay heritage and culture-themed comics in April next year in an effort to educate the public on understanding and appreciating customs and traditions that are at risk of being forgotten.

Its chief executive officer Syamsul Hazeman Md Salleh said the comic medium was chosen for its creative and relaxed nature, as well as its ability to attract interest from various segments of society, including youth, to explore its content.

“This is the first time MAIPk is collaborating strategically with Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) to produce five comics as a start, highlighting various topics rooted in folklore.

“Each narrative developed is not merely based on ‘cerita lisan’ (oral story), but also involves research by researchers and experts from UPSI and UiTM. Priority is given to factual accuracy to avoid misinterpretation and inaccurate messaging,” he told reporters after officiating the Santun Melalui Komik dan Naratif Rakyat programme at the Darul Ridzuan Islamic Complex here today.

The five comics to be published are titled Sultan Iskandar Bermain Ke Laut, Chempaka Sari, Peristiwa Dato’ Hilang di Padang, Indahnya Mahligai Cinta Perak and Pertunangan Sultan Iskandar Dzulkarnain dengan Puteri Raja Budak Rasul.

Syamsul Hazeman said MAIPk would discuss with the Perak state education department to ensure the comics could be distributed to schools throughout the state.

He said if the response is encouraging, MAIPk may publish more comics for wider distribution, including to relevant departments and agencies.

“We will first assess the response to this publication. If there is a need, we do not rule out the possibility of producing more folklore comics for the public,” he said.

In addition, he said MAIPk also plans to introduce a podcast on Malay and Islamic heritage and culture as a supporting platform to broaden public understanding of the close relationship between the two.

“It is hoped that this initiative can strengthen efforts to engage the community and raise awareness of the importance of preserving Malay and Islamic heritage and identity,” he added.

-- BERNAMA