SERDANG, Oct 29 — Selangor doesn’t just want to be known as a developed state, but also as a civilised one that doesn’t sideline its cultural heritage, said Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari.
He said Selangor always strives to balance economic progress with the people’s quality of life while ensuring development is based on wisdom and values.
He added that the commitment has been shown through various policies, including the development of a technology-based smart city and arts and culture conservation programmes such as the translation of heritage tomes.
“Progress cannot be separated from cultural roots. We strengthen our heritage not to worship the past, but to prepare the people for the future with a strong sense of self.
“Selangor is uplifting its heritage as knowledge and human capital. Our great duty today is to communicate it to the generation living in the world of algorithms and social media.
“Heritage must penetrate the digital space and become a relevant narrative on TikTok, virtual galleries, films, and visual arts,” Amirudin said in his keynote address at the International Symposium on Heritage Communication themed “Treasured Heritage Mirrors Civilised Society”, held at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) here today.
When met after the event, he said the symposium centres various forms of heritage communication, not just oral literature like pantun, but also cultural arts, dance, and traditional textile art like telepuk and kelingkan.
“Be they food, dance, cultural performances or textile arts, all form the basis of Padat’s (Selangor Malay Customs and Heritage Corporation) ambitions for these customs to be gazetted as heritage for the future, and continue to be developed within today’s society as well as future generations,” Amirudin said.
