By Saiful Bahri Kamaruddin
Pix Izwan Azman

Bangi, February 23, 2015 – A researcher and expert in traditional Malay costume at  the Institute of the  Malay World and  Civilisation (ATMA) of The National University of Malaysia (UKM) has invented what is believed to be the first ever  computer software to sketch the patterns of traditional Malay women’s attire in a  much faster way than the usual means.

The Malay-Based Malay Apparel Protocol computer software invented by a team led by Prof Madya Dr Haziyah Hussin  was launched here today by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni) Prof Datuk Dr Riza Atiq Abdullah OK Rahmat.

The prototype software called ‘Hazi Attire’, took three years to develop and is said to be able to generate a baju Melayu pattern within 5 seconds depending on the speed ofthe computer printer, compared to 4 to 5 hours or more by a  seamstress.

Dr Haziyah, a Senior Research Fellow at ATMA in the field of Clothing and Textiles said Hazi Attire software developed using the BusanaCAD engine has filed a copyright patent and with the  Malaysian Intellectual Property Corporation since 2012.

She said consumers can visit the website to fill in a form online about their body masurements that will be used to sketch the patterns based on computer aided design (CAD).

According to her, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI,  Ministry of Higher Education and UKM also granted total of RM 400,000 to develop the  design protocal for the Malay women’s attire. She said, through this research the  software to  generate the dress pattern was developed using a Sciencefund grant and subsequently under the  Prototype Research Grant Scheme (PRGS) and Inovasi UKM.

Dr Haziyah explained there are 16 design types for women’s Baju Melayu than can be drawn by ‘Hazi Attire’.

However, this project can only be commercialized if there are business partners who are interested.

“I do not want to be a seamstress. That is the job of the company that can cut and sew on a large scale. I  just draw dress patterns,” she explained.

About body measurements, she said customers have to measure themselves  and fill in the online form.

“If there is a body scanner, that would be a great help, and can scan the body in a matter of minutes. But I cannot afford to buy it because the price is half a million ringgit Malaysia. The purchase of this machine should be borne by the company,” she said.

She, however, admitted that so far no parties were willing to be a partner and she expected help from the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC).

“There needs to be a venture capitalist to seize this opportunity. Meanwhile I was asked to prepare a business plan before the grant of the prototype expires in April 2015,” she added.

She was motivated to create the software ‘Hazi Attire’ by the elegance of a wide range of traditional attire for Malay woman, which she feared would become extinct due to the lack of capable seamstresses.

Also present at the launching ceremony the director of the Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA) Duistinguished Professor Dato’ Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin and ATMA director Prof Dr Nor Hashimah Jalaluddin.

Dr Haziyah is a specialist in  Clothing and Textiles.

She obtained her Ph.D. from Universiti Putra Malaysia, Masters from North Texas State University in Denton, Bachelor of Fine Arts at Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, USA, and a Bachelors degree from Universiti Teknologi Mara, UiTM.