Minister's Art of Drawing Tourists

Kudos to Ng Yen Yen. I've always liked her because she seems cleverer than the others. Let's see if she can make things happen!

Last week the tourism minister announced that the National Art Gallery's works of art will be the country's new tourism product. Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen wants to said the ministry was currently having discussions with travel agencies to propose 'art tourism' as a new form of luring tourists into the country.

"Art tourism is one of my new (tourism) products and I want to begin by promoting the National Art gallery," she said at an exhibition showcasing paintings by Zhang Zhou of Liaoning, China, the resident artist of the Modern Arts Gallery in Sungai Petani, Kedah.

Dr Ng told reporters that visual art was a hidden treasure which she wanted to develop, and that artists could also become millionaires as paintings had become collectible commodity which could fetch high prices worldwide. She hopes to get cooperation from the education ministry to develop art education among children, from as young as five.

She also cited a work by a local artist that sold at US$46,000(RM162,845) at Christie's Auction House in Hong Kong. ~I wonder whose it was?