Chief Minister’s wife Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang admiring the songket weaved by the inmates at Puncak Borneo Prison (New Sarawak Tribune Pic)
WEAVING songket is no easy skill. But 22 inmates at Puncak Borneo Prison, had managed to weave 20 Sarawak songket last year and plans are afoot to make the detention centre the largest songket industry hub in Borneo.
Sarawak Prisons Department director Ajidin Salleh said the inmates were selected after going through an interview to determine if they qualify for the Puncak Borneo Prison SaraPride songket workshop.
The workshop is part of the Sarawak Heritage Innovation ― songket and keringkam project ― between the Sarawak government and Sarawak Prisons Department, New Sarawak Tribune reported.
Most of the inmates who went through an interview session for the project showed their interest to become a weaver in the future.
“Thus, we will look for supporting agencies for them after they have been released,” he said.
The workshop is located at Puncak Borneo Prison, which comprises of 16 weaving houses.
Meanwhile, Aimi Rashidah Bohri, one of the tutors for the project said songket and keringkam weaving requires a lot of time, patience, focus and determination. A 2.5m piece can take three to four months to complete.
“Aside from that, we also taught them (inmates) to weave scarves, sampin and sarongs,” she said.
By Jack Lapidus from The New Sarawak on 4th March, 2020, Wednesday at 7:32 PM
