1MCAT- Malaysian Contemporary Art Tourism

For the past three days I was part of the MCAT event where I had a room provided to display my works and required to do a demonstration of how I work to produce aan art piece. The Malaysian Contemporary Art Tourism event organized by the Tourism Department of Malaysia ivolved many exisitng galleries all over the Penang Island and it was meant to promote the Arts in the area in line with the Tourism Industry. It is hope that Penang would again become the hub for the Arts in the region like it once was. two or three decades ago, penang boasted as the place where it all happened whether in the performing or the fine arts. Many renowned artists and musicians from the old masters such as P.Ramlee and Ahmad Nawab, Alfoso Soleano and Ahmad Marican, the Alley Cats later on laid the path for the entertainment industry. Painters such as Kooi Sui Hoe and Lee Ju For (sp?) Latif Mohideen and Ismail Hashim were among the path finders of Malaysian contemporary art scene.
Today Kuala Lumpur has hijacked the limelight leaving Penang with being known more for the manufacturing of computer chips and Nasi Kandar. The struggle to put Penang back on the Art scene has been undertaken with great effort by those who are involved with the field, those whose love of the Arts transcend their normal vocations. men like Joe Sidek and Leekhai, Ambiga and Khoo Salma have made extraordinary effforts to promote the Arts in Penang. It is with the efforts of these individuals that Penang is slowly growing back into an Artistic and Cultural hub at least for the Northern States of the Malay Peninsula.
The MCAT event is thge Federal Government's involvemnet through its tourism department to help make Penang achieve its vision as a Arts and Cultural hub along with the State Government , however for political reasons this effort is not fully realized as the State is under the opposition governemnt. Penang has become a victim of the political tug -o-war as each side fefuses to give in even if the event is for the benifit of the whole Penangites. Many hard core citizens avoid participating in the events depending on who is sponsoring- State or Federal. Penang is a ship with two captains and they have a hard time working together and so it trickles down to their supporters who for the most are blind followers and supporters not knowing where to draw the line when it comes to working for the benifit of the whole. Top this with racial discrimination and competive edge to be gained one over the other, the citizens of the Island becomes the loosersNeedless to say the MCAT event this year had a poor turn out as even the Minister who was supposed to be here was not able to turn up. The Chief Mininster off course would not find himself anywhere near the premise and rightfully so as in my opinion he should have been invited from the onset of such an event and not side stepped.
I hope in my lifetime to see such an event regardless of who the organizer or for whatever reason it may be that both the federal and State Governement could join hand in hand to make things happen otherwise it is all a waste of good effort, time and money. The politcal divide is costing us the Penangites alot of grief and unnecessary loss of good opportunites. By right there should have been a whole lot of school students at the event and teachers shuld be made to make all the effor they could to get these students to such events so that they can benifit from it. Even artists and performers are split with some suporting while others shunning just because...it is indeed very sad for us all. There no winners when the well being of citizens are being compromized and political expedients takes precedent.