KUALA TERENGGANU, Oct 22 — The Terengganu branch of Kraftangan Malaysia recorded sales of RM1.9 million through its online channel, E-Kraf Bazar since its launch in April this year.

Director Juhari Azmi said the initiative is aimed to help Terengganu craft entrepreneurs to market their products after the movement control order (MCO) came into effect.

"In addition, there is another application, MyCraftShopee.com, which is being used by 129 Terengganu entrepreneurs to market their products. We are also assisting them from various aspects, including uploading photos and videos about their products.

"There are currently 740 craft entrepreneurs throughout Terengganu and, of the total, only 20 per cent offer their products on both the platforms,” he told reporters after officiating the closing of the Craft Community Skills Development Programme (batik and woven craft) which was attended by 38 participants, here today.

Juhari said that Kraftangan Malaysia is planning to increase registrations to both platforms to 50 per cent of entrepreneurs by the end of this year.

"Not all entrepreneurs are able to run an online business initially, but with Kraftangan Malaysia’s guidance, they now are quite capable of managing it themselves.

"This is part of our initiative to help entrepreneurs considering our usual Craft Promotion Programme conducted in several shopping malls have to be postponed due to shoppers’ safety issues.

"We were supposed to hold the promotion in Kuala Terengganu City Centre and Mesra Mall in Kemaman, but we have to abide by the rules and hope that entrepreneurs will make use of these platforms to market their products,” he said.

Meanwhile, Juhari also said that the community skills development programme was opened to the youth, asnaf, housewives and single mothers, the disabled and the elderly who are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

There are nine such programmes planned for this year and to date, 38 participants have benefitted from it.

"The next programme will be in Besut involving wood carving. Other programmes include the making of souvenirs, batik related accessories and woven products,” he said. — Bernama