Experts should work together to improve quality, design of local textile - Tunku Azizah

In making the call, Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah said the country needed a body to look into the interest of those involved in textile craft industry, including craftsmen and designers in order to diversify the local textile heritage.

Her Majesty who is also the Royal Patron of CITRA, said the effort was aimed at preserving the heritage and culture which we have inherited from our ancestors for the benefit of future generations.

"The launching of CITRA today is an apt move because such associations had long been established in other countries and they are moving together as an entity.

"We should look at how our neighbours Indonesia and Thailand develop their craft heritage by sharing skills with each other. I was inspired by such initiatives and hope that Malaysia will take the same step," she said in her speech at the launch of CITRA, here today.

The text of her speech was read out by Tengku Puteri Seri Kemala Tengku Datuk Aishah Sultan Ahmad Shah.

Tunku Azizah said one of her focuses was to revive the weaving tradition of Tenun Pahang or Tenun Diraja Pahang (Royal Pahang Weave).

"We have been invited to London Crafts Week in May where Tenun Diraja Pahang will be included in the special collections of world-renowned designers, Dolce Gabbana and Manolo Blahnik," he said.

Meanwhile, CITRA President Nini Marini Ramlan, in her speech, said the association was established with the aim to create a traditional textile directory and forge cooperation to expand its network.

"We believe that this exposure can help raise the standard of the local textile and innovate our techniques further," she said.

The brainchild of former Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Textile lecturer, Fatimah Ismail and the late Professor Sulaiman Ghani, CITRA now has about 200 registered members.