By Yussoj J. Imbang
KOTA KINABALU: A coalition of arts associations in Sabah hopes that the state government will establish the Sabah Art Council to protect the employee industry through the presentation of the State Budget next October.
Sabah State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Government Supporters’ Club (BBC) chairman, Datuk Masiung Banah, said that arts associations and clubs need to have a parent agency to establish strategic collaboration with the state government.
“The BBC sees that the creative industry needs to be empowered to enable players in the industry in Sabah to be competitive in the mainstream field.
“The BBC is ready to act as an intermediary regarding the wishes of several associations and clubs of this state’s employees who want the Sabah government to establish the Sabah Art Council,” he said immediately after meeting representatives of five art associations at one of the leading hotels here yesterday.
According to Masiung, he will bring the draft proposal to the Sabah State Assembly Conference, which is expected to be scheduled between October and November next.
He said the proposal to realise the Sabah Arts Council is appropriate as a platform for art associations or clubs in the state to establish bilateral relations with the state government.
Without a parent agency that oversees the association involved, it will certainly make it difficult for the government to channel any initiative or injection of funds.
The Kuamut assemblyman did not rule out that the creative arts industry in Sabah had received little attention before, especially since the field was often featured in the presentation of the State Budget.
Because of that, he said, art employees feel their careers are marginalised in the mainstream.
Masiung is confident that the state government today will pay due attention to their contribution to the community.
When there is a collaboration between art activists and the government, surely the group can become ambassadors for important government programmes.
Producers of local films, music, plays, actors, songwriters and artists have influence of merit and a touch of dynamism to translate the efforts of the government.
More than that, he said, art enthusiasts have an extraordinary ability to touch people’s emotions through artwork.
The delegation of five association representatives who met Masiung yesterday, led by Sabah veteran entertainer Datuk Francis Landong, are the Sabah Creative Association, the Sabah Artists Association, the Sabah Employees Association, the Sabah Orchestra Club, the Sabah Film and Visual Association and the Sabah Lyricist Composers Association.
