KARYANEKA, THE HIDDEN TREASURE

Last week was my last day providing training at Karyaneka, Jalan Stonor, Kuala Lumpur. After the training ended at 6.00 p.m., I had a short tour on that Friday evening, a day before Ramadan. To my astonishment I realized that Karyaneka is such a marvelous place to visit and do any buying for Batiks, Souvenirs and Malaysian handicrafts. I never knew that, not only the buildings, interior decoration was great but the items displayed at their exhibition centers would pull anybody hearts to love them. The one hour tour was too short for me and here I am writing some thing about it. Splendid!!

Despite towards the end of the business day, which is 7.00 pm, I have been served with the warm hospitality of the centre’s staff. Oh... it must be me, a Malaysian, that’s what I thought. No it is not. I saw some European visitors, and other Malaysia visitors who came in later at 7.30 pm; they were warmly greeted and serves with a humble and politeness too. God, they are real marketers and I think they must have loved their job. Congratulation, Karyeneka must have done great in setting up an organizational marketing.

My tour started at batik section, where I could see nicely done batik designs for shirt, blouse and even the pillow sheets. My mind start think, oh …here comes my Hari Raya shopping place and Karyaneka would be as one of the place to search for some items that I require.

I then made my way to handicraft and later to the souvenir area. God it is so interesting and I found something that I was looking for my fish outlet in Bandar Sri Permaisuri. It is some rattan baskets for fruits and vegetables. It would suit my modern living style ‘fish outlet’.

Well all I can say that, Karyaneka has done well and it is really a hidden treasure since I never knew that they really hold many artistic and beautiful crafted product that would resembles the culture of Malaysia. I always believe this type of product or industry actually selling the culture and not only the product per say.

SAYA TIDAK FAHAM 1 M

Saya membaca Mingguan Malaysia 2 Ogos 2009 di bahagian temuramah dengan YM Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. Saya juga sebelum itu membaca komen Pak Rais pasal royalty minyak Kelantan – Kelantan tidak berhak. Saya baca komentar keesokan hari dalam Berita Harian; YM Tengku Razaleigh mengatakan Kelantan berhak; YM Tengku Razaleigh yang tanda tangan bersama Allayarham Mohamad Nasir, TMB Kelantan. Saya dengar Pak Perdana Menteri kita 'akan mengkaji semula royalty minyak Kelantan' selepas jumpa Tok Guru Nik Aziz.

Barangkali inilah 1 Malaysia. Semua sama-rata. Cina, Melayu, India, Iban, Melanau, Negrito, bersatu padu. Tak kira Johor, Perak, Selangor, Terengganu. Kecuali kamu rakyat Kelantan? Entahlah saya yang membaca, mendengar dan menulis cuba memahaminya tetapi masih tidak memahaminya.

Barangkali inilah yang dikatakan “amanlah siluncai dengan labunya, gembiralah pak pandir melihat anak orang jatuh di tengah jalan walaupun sebenarnya itulah anaknya sendiri. Atau hormatlah Pak Pandir pada kambing yang ada janggut kerana itulah disangka Pak Imamnya”. Entah. Inilah globalisasi, librelisasi, dan macam-macam sasi. Yang jelas, Bernas diam-diam hilang sahamnya dan wang Khazanah di anjur Dato Pa membeli kembali saham tersebut sekurang-kurangnya separuh. Macam tulisan abang kita Kadir Jasin, dengan hairan dan menghairankan kenapa ia berlaku tanpa pengetahuan kerajaan? SC? Kementerian Kewangan? Entah. Liberisasi agaknya.

Entah dan banyak lagi entah, “saya tidak faham”, barangkali itulah ungkapan rakyat Malaysia dari hari kehari. Terlalu banyak kompleksasi dan terlalu banyak kompilasi cerita sehingga berlakulah perkara-perkara diluar imaginasi.