GOV’T STRENGTHENS MUSIC ROYALTY MANAGEMENT TO PROTECT ARTISTES' RIGHTS

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 (Bernama) -- The management of music royalties must continue to be improved and strengthened to ensure the copyrights of local artistes are protected, Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said. 

He said to achieve this, the government, through the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO), has introduced operational guidelines (GP) for Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) responsible for royalty collection.

“CMOs are licensed under the Copyright Act 1987 by MyIPO through Section 27A to represent copyright owners and collect royalties from users of their works.

“Previously, there were no specific guidelines. Now, they can operate under their respective constitutions while adhering to these guidelines,” he told reporters after attending the Music Royalty Advocacy Ceremony today.

Armizan said under the new provisions, MyIPO now has the authority to issue guidelines on matters related to the declaration and operation of CMOs.

Armizan said advocacy efforts, such as today's event, serve as a strategy to enhance understanding, awareness and engagement among stakeholders, particularly artists, regarding their rights under the Copyright Act.

He said between January 2023 and February 2025, MyIPO received 17,402 copyright registration applications.

“However, copyright registrations for musical works and sound recordings remain relatively low, with only 170 and 146 applications, respectively.

“This highlights the need to intensify advocacy and education programmes among target groups, especially emerging artists,” he added.

In a separate development, Armizan announced that the Festive Season Maximum Price Scheme (SHMMP) for Aidilfitri is expected to be announced this week.

“We are finalising the details to ensure consumers get fair prices. We also plan to expand the list of controlled items. InsyaAllah, the announcement will be made this week,” he said.

-- BERNAMA