‘Give tax incentives to help art industry’

Attention to detail: Ch’ng explaining his art work to Chew at the Wisma MCA in Kuala Lumpur.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian artists have urged the government to offer tax incentives for the purchase of paintings to help the industry grow.

Penang Art Society president Ch’ng Huck Theng said artists not only required a channel to promote their paintings, but also needed to earn a living by selling their work.

He noted that it was difficult to inspire new blood when existing artists were striving hard to stay.

“I am appealing to the government to give tax incentives to corporate companies as a way to encourage them to buy more paintings,” he said at the opening of the society’s arts exhibition at Wisma MCA here yesterday.

The exhibition is part of a series of programmes for the month-long Blossom Arts Festival, organised by the Malaysian Chinese Culture and Arts Consultative Council to promote arts and culture in Malaysia while providing industry players a platform to showcase their works.

In responding to Ch’ng’s call, event chairman Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun said helping those in the arts and culture industry sell their products was indeed one of their goals when setting up the council.

“We have submitted the proposal to the Tourism and Culture Ministry,” she said.

The Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister said paintings could be a good investment because their value could increase in the future.

Being the oldest registered art society in the country, the Penang Art Society held its exhibition here for the first time, showcasing 22 masterpieces and three sculptures from its members.

The opening ceremony was also attended by some 200 artists from Asian countries like Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Japan.

Admission to the exhibition, which opens from 11am to 8pm on weekdays, and from 10.30am to 8pm on weekends, is free.

Visit www.blossomartsfestival.my, the Facebook page of Blossom Arts Festival Malaysia for more details or contact 03-22033971/3978/3979.

-thestar online.

http://www.artgallery.gov.my/