COMMUNICATIONS MINISTRY SUPPORTS INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE MALAYSIA AS FILMING DESTINATLOCATION - TEO

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- The Communications Ministry, through the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (FINAS) and the Malaysian Broadcasting Department (RTM), has always supported and implemented various initiatives for creative industry players in promoting Malaysia, especially Penang, as a location for filming films and television programmes.

Deputy Minister Teo Nie Ching said among the initiatives undertaken by FINAS was providing the Film in Malaysia Incentive (FIMI) to international film productions conducted in Malaysia.

FIMI offers a 30 per cent cash rebate to film or television programme filming that meets certain conditions.

"This incentive aims to attract foreign production companies to choose Malaysia as a filming location, thus being able to have an impact in promoting Malaysia including Penang as an international filming destination besides contributing to the economic spillover of the local creative industry.

"Between 2013 and 2023, FIMI has contributed to the country's investment value of RM2.53 billion and opened up 22,870 job opportunities," she said in reply to Senator Dr A Lingeshwaran during Question Time at the Dewan Negara sitting today.

Lingeshwaran had wanted to know the efforts taken by the ministry in promoting Malaysia, particularly Penang, as a filming location for films and television programmes, and also efforts to attract the organisation of concerts in Malaysia.

Teo said her ministry, together with the Central Agency for Application for Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (PUSPAL), was committed to efforts to attract concert organisers, especially those involving foreign artistes.

"PUSPAL also provides online application facilities through the ePUSPAL System for local film organisers and film companies to apply for foreign film filming and concerts of foreign artistes," she said.

Teo also informed the Senate of the latest initiative announced through Budget 2025, namely the implementation of Concerts And Events In Malaysia Incentive (CEMI) with an allocation of RM10 million. This fund is provided as a bidding grant to attract foreign artistes to hold concerts in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, in reply to Musoddak Ahmad on the ministry’s move to regulate over-the-top (OTT) media services through amendments to the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588), Teo said more detailed regulations would be implemented to ensure that content on OTT platforms such as Astro Go and Netflix was more appropriate.

She said the ministry, through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), has published the Communications and Multimedia Content Code (Content Code) under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Content Forum (CMCF), which outlines best practices and ethical standards for the creation and organisation of content.

"The Content Code sets out guidelines for best practices and content standards in Malaysia, including in the broadcasting industry and content uploaded to websites. It is also used as a reference for the interpretation of offences under Section 211 and Section 233 of Act 588 and the CMCF is also taking proactive steps to raise awareness about self-regulation of content," she said.

Teo also informed the Senate that the jurisdiction of the CMCF and the enforcement of the Content Code does not extend to OTT platforms hosted outside Malaysia. She said all OTT services operating in Malaysia, however, are still subject to national laws, and any violation of offline laws is also considered a violation of online laws.

In another development, Teo said that it is important for the second 5G network service provider to use the services of local contractors in providing the infrastructure but, so far, the ministry and MCMC have not set specific conditions for 5G service providers to select equipment suppliers.

"As long as the suppliers are not blacklisted by the government, it is up to the service providers to choose who they want to work with," she said in reply to Senator Datin Ros Suryati Alang who wanted to know if Bumiputera contractors would be given priority in the 5G project through Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB).

-- BERNAMA