History of Batik Malaysia

The origins of batik production in Malaysia is not easy to trace. Many have said that Malaysian batik was first introduced by the Javanese. This can be seen clearly as the early batik Malaysia were very much influenced with Javanese inspired designs.

There are sources that claim that the early stage of Batik Malaysia started off with the use of wooden blocks (with motifs carved on it) which were then chopped several times to the cloth to form a pattern. This technique is also known as ‘batik chop’. In late 1920s, the Javanese batik makers introduced the use of wax and copper blocks on the East Coast.

The production of hand drawn batik in Malaysia is relatively new. Known as ‘batik tulis’, the commercial production started in the 1960s. This is a free hand method of drawing whatever the artist inspire – just like drawing on a white sheet of paper, only difference is that this is on a cloth.

Over the years, this craft has developed its own particular aesthetic and design, peculiar to Malaysia. The motifs drawn by the Malaysian artisans include the Islamic values whereby motifs of animals are strictly prohibited. These are still very much practiced in the East Coasts states of Terengganu and Kelantan where batik is still very prominent. However, some artists from Kuala Lumpur adapt a more open minded concept with butterfly motifs, which in a way has now been like a symbol to Batik Malaysia.

Another huge difference in the batik drawing of Indonesian batik and Batik Malaysia is that the motifs of Batik Malaysia tend to be larger and in a way less refined. However, it still has its own beauty in its own way.

Because of this, the method of handrawn batik is also very different, with Malaysian artists tend to spread the cloth wide before the draw on it. The Indonesians on the other hand can sit down on a stool to draw using their hand as a base.

In the recent years, Batik Malaysia has become very much a freedom of expression or in a way a piece of art where just plays of colours and geometric lines are used.

Today, in Malaysia, Batik Malaysia is combined with fashion giving batik a new life. It is common to see fashion shows where models parade beautiful batik dresses.

Apart from the catwalk shows, Batik still is a formal dress that politicians use to dawn at functions. This in a way keeps batik very much alive. However, Batik Malaysia seems to only reach the elite KL folks, as the reach of batik to the general public is still very little, with many don’t really know the difference between the ‘kebaya’ dress and batik. And to them, batik is still very traditional, and not modern hence abstaining themselves from it.