It is generally believed that intensified within Strait of Malacca region following the territorial and commercial expansion of the sultanate in the mid 15th century.
The art form is mainly attributed to the abundance of timber on the and also by the skillfulness of the woodcarvers that have allowed the Malays to practice woodcarving as a craft.
The three principles of the National Culture Policy are; Malaysian culture must be based on the indigenous culture of the region, that is the Malay culture, secondly it may incorporate suitable elements from other cultures, and lastly that Islam must play a part in it.