PASIR PUTEH: Eight Malaysian cultural arts have received recognition from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) since 2014, reflecting international appreciation of the country’s heritage.
National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) director-general Mohd Amran Mohd Haris said this was due to close cooperation between the National Heritage Department and JKKN in preserving and elevating traditional arts on the global stage.
He said the recognised heritage elements included mak yong, silat, mek mulung and dondang sayang, while dikir barat was being considered for nomination.
“Unesco recognition adds value as it helps attract foreign tourists to experience a country’s culture, as seen in Melaka and Penang,” he said at the closing ceremony of the Kelantan Folk Arts Festival (FKRK) 2026 at Tok Bali Tourist Jetty here on Saturday night, Bernama reported.
On traditional arts in Kelantan, he said the state government’s approach of allowing performances such as main puteri and menora, as long as it complied with regulations and free from superstition, was welcomed.
He said this helps preserve traditional arts while ensuring they are practised appropriately.
Mohd Amran said FKRK 2026 was the fifth Cultural Tourism Programme under the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry through JKKN, in a series of 16 programmes planned nationwide for Visit Malaysia 2026.
He said the festival showed how culture and tourism could work together to support the local economy and promote the state’s identity.
The four-day festival attracted between 100,000 and 150,000 visitors.
