Capacity Development

Pusat Kraftangan Sabah (PKS) in Keningau has become a key player in Sabah's handicraft industry, empowering rural communities and promoting craft entrepreneurship. Focused on preserving local heritage, PKS offers training, R&D, and marketing opportunities for ethnic handicrafts. The facility includes accommodation, workshops, galleries, retail shops, and exhibition spaces, supporting artisans in honing their skills and stimulating local economic activity. PKS is dedicated to the long-term growth of Sabah's craft industry.

PKS is a central hub for training and developing Sabah's handicraft tradition. Its main goal is to enhance local artisans' skills and creativity, ensuring traditional crafts thrive in modern contexts.

PKS's mission focuses on preserving local heritage by supporting the craftsmanship of Sabah's indigenous communities and safeguarding cultural traditions while ensuring their relevance in today's marketplace. This commitment helps bridge the past with the present.

The Group is also working with reputable handicraft household, and through such collaborations, youths are being exposed to gain the right knowledge in producing high-quality batik.

PKS also empowers individuals through skill development, offering training in handicraft production, entrepreneurship, and business management. These programmes equip participants with the knowledge and tools to thrive in the competitive handmade crafts market.

Additionally, PKS promotes economic independence by supporting aspiring entrepreneurs in commercialising their products, contributing to sustainable livelihoods and the overall well-being of communities in Sabah.

PKS spearheads several key programmes and initiatives on skill development, capacity building, and sustainable economic growth within Sabah's handicraft sector.

The RICH programme is a key initiative to empower rural artisans through specialised courses that merge traditional craftsmanship with modern techniques, focusing on textiles and forest products. It creates a dynamic learning environment that encourages creativity while ensuring local crafts remain relevant in today's market.

Complementing this is the Rattan & Bamboo Plantation Programme, which trains participants in the sustainable cultivation of bamboo and rattan. A significant milestone is allocating 200 acres in the Sungai Pinangah Forest Reserve for this purpose, supporting the long-term sustainability of Sabah's handicraft industry.

Additionally, PKS emphasises entrepreneurial empowerment by providing artisans with essential business skills, including communication, negotiation, and leadership training. Digital marketing training helps them engage with global markets, and PKS also offers startup financing and connects trainees with industry experts for support.

Strategic collaborations have been crucial to PKS's success, offering artisans networking opportunities and access to premium markets. By working with local and international organisations, PKS showcases cultural heritage through joint projects that blend traditional motifs with modern craft designs, enhancing Sabah's cultural diversity and international profile.

PKS is dedicated to community empowerment, reaching over 21,925 individuals by collaborating with the Yayasan Sabah Zone office and community programmes. It aims to uplift women and marginalised communities in rural areas by providing them with essential skills and resources.

Additionally, PKS prioritises professional accreditation through partnerships with the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) and the Wood Industry Skills Development Centre (WISDEC), offering trainees the Malaysia Skill Certification Level 2 (SKM 2). Since 2023, 12 participants have earned this credential in furniture making.

Since its inception in 2012, PKS has significantly empowered Sabah's communities through craft entrepreneurship. As the handicraft industry evolves, PKS envisions local crafts becoming a global symbol of craftsmanship and creativity, driving economic growth and cultural preservation while uplifting communities and strengthening Sabah's cultural identity for future generations.

Courses Offered at Pusat Kraftangan Sabah: -

1. Textile - Weaving, Batik Canting, sewing (Men Shirt, Dress and Handbag making)
2. Forest-Based Craft: Wood Carving, Furniture Making, Bamboo & Rattan Weaving
3. Modern Arts - Epoxy Resin Art and Textile Digital
4. Bamboo And Rattan Plantation Programme

In relation to the handicraft industry, Yayasan Sabah Group through its wholly owned company, Kristal Handal Sdn. Bhd. (KHSB), has established three marketing outlets, namely Galleria Artisan at Menara Tun Mustapha (MTM), Menara Kinabalu (MK) and Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), Kota Kinabalu. These three outlets provide the best platform for rural craft entrepreneurs with premium products to market their handicrafts.

KHSB houses three brands: Bayu Craft for handicraft products, Bayu Basic for textile printing products, and Batik Bayu for products made from hand-painted batik.

Every fabric used in Batik Bayu products is hand-drawn with unique motifs that represent local Sabah ethnic patterns combined with designs inspired by flora and fauna, blended with diverse colors to enhance the variety of each product. Batik Bayu's latest achievement is being awarded the Sabah Trusted Brands 2024 by the National Consumer Action Council (MTPN) on 30 November 2024.

In addition to hand-drawn batik, the new supplementary product, Bayu Basic, uses textile printing technology which capable of meeting high production demands while maintaining the same quality at an affordable price. Bayu Basic incorporates Sabah-inspired motifs alongside flora and fauna, with various other patterns which also interpreted onto fabric to create more appealing products.

Bayu Craft products are inspired by the creation of local handicrafts, enhanced with innovation to ensure their relevance remains timeless. The product categories under Bayu Craft include bamboo-based items, ribu-ribu (woven crafts), rattan, beads and ceramics. Bayu Craft is a collaborative effort with local Sabah craft entrepreneurs to help them produce more competitive products for the current market.

One of Bayu Craft's notable achievements in 2024 was supplying 400 units of Kelarai file folders and Batik lanyards for the Board of Directors of the Government Statutory Body and Government Linked Company Course held on held on 26 November 2024.

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