[Call For Participants] Malaysia Fieldwork 2016: Transforming Malaysian Batik

Filed in 2015, Fieldwork, Fieldwork & Internship, News by on November 20, 2015

We are now calling for participants in Malaysia Fieldwork scheduled in February, 2016.
This program is open for the EBA Consortium member universities.
 
For Keio students:
Currently, we are accepting application from Keio students. Application procedures are written below.
 
For ASEAN students:
EBA local contacts (http://www.eba-consortium.asia/?page_id=1331) will have a separate announcement and selection process.

Host University of Malaya (Malaysia)
Period February 7-16, 2016
Locations Kuala Lumpur and Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia
Number of expected participants 15 students (from Keio University)

 
Fieldwork Content:
The theme of the fieldwork is “Transforming Malaysian Batik SME (Small Medium Enterprise) towards sustainable approach: Application of cleaner technology for Batik SME.”

The purpose of this fieldwork is important for students to:

  1. Discuss current situation and recognise the problem of batik SME.
  2. Identify and discuss the role of stakeholders involved in batik SME and their initiatives for sustainable practices and management of Batik SME.
  3. Evaluate the results of the analysis of data gathered during fieldwork.
  4. Conduct focus group discussion.
  5. Prepare action plan to help solve the problem face by batik makers.
  6. Evaluate the action plan.

 
About Malaysian Batik Industry:
Malaysian Batik is a unique art form for decorating textiles. According to available report, batik making has been established in the East coast states of Peninsular Malaysia; particularly in Kelantan and Terengganu since 1920’s. Batik means ‘to draw with a broken dot or line’. It is derived from two words – amba (the Javanese word) is ‘to draw’ and titik (the Malays word) means dot. Batik is a technique, by which parts of textile that are not to be coloured are covered in molten wax. The wax is important to prevent the textile from absorbing the dye during the decorating process. In Malaysia, there are three types of batik processes known as hand-drawn batik (canting), block-printed (cop) batik, and screen printing batik. Interestingly, batik canting is almost exclusively a task reserved for women compared to batik cop which is a more physically demanding process which was hot and heavy metal-block and is then done almost exclusively by men. Various types of motif on batik are produced leaves and flowers (flora) and also geometrical design such as spiral.

 
In Malaysia, the batik industry consists of a range of players from designers and producers, to the traders. Yet, the core of the industry are the batik makers (known as pembatik) who, by and large, are small-time, family-owned enterprises that make a living producing batik pieces which are marketed by the traders. Since the batik makers are at the back end of the industry, the buyers of batik do not know much about their processes and practices. Until now, the processes and activities involves in producing batik remain inefficient in term of extensive usage of water, dyes, and production of highly coloured wastewater. In reality, there are many issues that should be addressed especially in the context of social, economic, and environment. So, cleaner technology has a potential to be one of the solutions to minimize waste and water emissions, and at the same time maximize product output. Yet, the transformation process and mindset of batik producers towards a more sustainable process need to be strengthened and made clear. The sustainable strategy must be on track so that can help pembatik towards a greener batik production with cleaner technology.

 
Location:
This program will be held in two states, Kuala Lumpur and Kelantan. It involves two types of activities, 1) lecture & presentation (in-door), and 2) fieldwork (out-door). The lectures and presentation/discussion of fieldwork material report will be held in University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. While, for fieldwork sessions will be held in batik factories at Kota Bharu, Kelantan.
The students will be introduced to the selected batik factories. This is important for student to understand the batik processes/activities involved and their working environment.

The location of field practice are:

  1. Alias Batik & Trading, Kota Bharu, Kelantan
  2. Anas Batik, Kota Bharu, Kelantan
  3. Dagang Batikraf, Kota Bharu, Kelantan
  4. Nordin Batik, Kota Bharu, Kelantan

 
Schedule (TENTATIVE):
The fieldwork will be held for 10 days from Sunday, February 7th to Tuesday, February 16th, 2016.

Sunday, 7 February 2016 Arriving at Kuala Lumpur
Monday, 8 February 2016 Pre-Workshop DAY1: Opening, Program Orientation, Series of Lectures University of Malaya, KL
Tuesday, 9 February 2016 Pre-Workshop DAY2: Series of Lectures and workshops University of Malaya, KL
Wednesday, 10 February 2016 Arrival at Kota Bharu (KB)
 
Visit to Koperasi Serbaguna Pembatek Kelantan Berhad
KB, Kelantan
 
Jalan Sultanah Zainab, KB
Thursday, 11 February 2016 Field trip to Alias Batik & Trading – Sodium silicate machine and air blower
 
Field trip to Anas Batik – Sodium silicate machine and air blower machine
Jalan Kuala Krai, KB
 
Hilir Masjid Pintu Geng, KB
Friday, 12 February 2016 Field trip to Dagang Batikraf Sdn. Bhd. – wastewater treatment system Kampung Sireh Bawah Lembah, KB
Saturday, 13 February 2016 Visit to Nordin Batik & Craft Sdn. Bhd. Jalan Pintu Geng, KB
Sunday, 14 February 2016 Visit to Perbadanan Kemajuan Kraftangan Malaysia
 
Post-Workshop DAY1: Preparation for Final Presentation
Jalan Conlay, KL
 
University of Malaya, KL
Monday, 15 February 2016 Post-Workshop DAY2: Final Presentation, Evaluation, Closing University of Malaya, KL
Tuesday, 16 February 2016 Leaving from Kuala Lumpur

 
How to apply: (for Keio students)
Both undergraduates and graduate students (who are able to communicate in English) are eligible for the program.

All you have to do is:

  • Fill out APPLICATION FORM (from: http://goo.gl/vmX1TK) in English
  • Write an 300-word essay stating your interest in the theme of the fieldwork (either in English or Japanese)

Then submit these two materials to eba-submit@ml.keio.jp with subject: “Malaysia Fieldwork 2016 Application- Your Name”. The deadline is 23:59 JST, Sunday, 13 December 2015. Screening result will be announced in the following week.

 
Costs:
Keio students should pay the airplane ticket fee (to/from Bandung) on your own. However, the good news for Japanese students is if selected, you are also eligible to apply for JASSO scholarship (70,000 JPY) which should help cover part of your Fieldwork related expenses.

In addition to the airplane ticket fee, EBA committee will collect a participation fee. For now, the participation fee has not been decided yet as the preparation work is still undergoing. However, it should be around 30,000〜50,000 JPY (including accommodation, local transportation, part of the food costs, and other services during the trip).

 
Submission Deadline:
23:59 JST, Sunday, 13 December 2015

 
Notes:
JASSO scholarship is only for Japanese citizen(日本国籍の学生のみ申請可能). If you are planning to apply for JASSO scholarship, you are also required to submit a student report(成績表). For further information, please refer to the following URL (P.8〜11) http://www.jasso.go.jp/scholarship/documents/h27tanki_h_tebiki.pdf

 
Contact:
For more information, please contact us via email at eba-ra-group@keio.jp

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