THE Ministry of Communications has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Malaysia’s creative economy, revealing a suite of high-impact initiatives during the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) debate in the Dewan Rakyat.
Communication Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, in response to concerns raised by 24 Members of Parliament on matters under the Ministry’s purview—including the creative industry, online safety, government communications, and telecommunications—Minister of Communications highlighted a multi-pronged approach to strengthen the local creative ecosystem.
"The Ministry acknowledges that in this era of digitalisation and globalisation, the creative industry holds immense potential as a catalyst for new economic growth, job creation, and nation branding at the international level," Fahmi stated.
The National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) is spearheading efforts to export Malaysian creative content by supporting local intellectual properties, increasing human capital development, and improving the film ecosystem from pre- to post-production.
Notably, the International Marketing Programme for Local Creative Content yielded RM25.21 million in sales between 2022 and 2024. Film in Malaysia Incentive (FIMI) attracted RM365.87 million in international and RM243.75 million in domestic investment over the same period.
Among the highlights is ‘Snow in Midsummer’ by Chong Keat Aun, which won Best Feature Film (Uncaged Award) at the 23rd New York Asian Film Festival. Locally, ‘Sheriff: Narko Integriti’ by Skop Productions earned RM59 million and won the Special Box Office Award at the 33rd Malaysian Film Festival.
Since 2017, the Creative Content Fund (DKK) has created 27,670 jobs across the film sector. In animation, the Ministry is focusing on funding, cash rebates, certification, and streamlining licensing for local productions.
The government’s investment in music also shows promising returns. Through DKK and the MyCreative Matching Grant Scheme (SDP), over 189,000 tickets were sold and nearly 9,000 new jobs were created. Local talents such as Liza Hanim, Masdo, and Ziana Zain have benefitted, while Balan Kash’s song “CEKAP” received a nomination at the 2024 Anugerah Industri Muzik.
“MyCreative Ventures” (MyCV), active since 2012, continues to nurture creative startups including names like Christy Ng, Animasia, Famsy, and Buku Fixi.
The National Music Treasure Fund also supports archival work, including a publication documenting the legacy of the late Tan Sri Ahmad Nawab.
The RIUH platform, introduced in 2017, has become an incubator for creative brands and performing artists, hosting 85 events with 1.09 million attendees, supporting 10,701 creatives, and generating RM10.8 million in sales. "Brands such as Zeve, Brotani, and Oh Dayang found success through this exposure," he said.
Newer initiatives include the Concerts & Events in Malaysia Incentive (CEMI), which provides up to RM1.5 million in rebates for large-scale concerts.
As of August 2025, 108 applications had been received, of which 79 were for international artists. Events must involve at least 30% local talent and spend 20% of qualifying costs in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, the Ministry is also revising the FINAS Act 1981 (Act 244) to modernise definitions of "film" and "distribution," introduce governance improvements, and reinforce enforcement mechanisms. Amendments will be tabled in the upcoming Parliament session.
Addressing welfare, FINAS and PERKESO signed an MoU in April 2024 to extend social protection—including medical, disability, and funeral benefits—to self-employed creatives. Contractual standards have also been revised to mandate fair wages and benefits, including EPF contributions.
On the Mandatory Screening Scheme, which guarantees local films access to cinema screens, 62 titles each were approved in 2023 and 2024, generating RM108 million and RM122 million respectively. The Ministry pledged to review the scheme to ensure fairness to independent filmmakers.
Turning to online safety, the Minister assured that the government is actively tackling harmful digital content.
From January 2022 to July 2025, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) made 2,693 takedown requests for explicit content, of which 2,368 were successfully removed. Access to over 4,000 websites was also blocked.
"We are engaging platforms like YouTube and TikTok to enforce transparency in algorithms and restrict harmful content," Fahmi noted.
Starting January 2025, Internet messaging and social media platforms are required to apply for Class ASP licences under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588) to strengthen accountability. Amendments to Act 588 now impose harsher penalties for online offences involving minors—up to RM500,000 in fines and five years’ imprisonment.
In addition, the newly enacted Online Safety Act 2025 (Act 866) requires service providers to implement risk-mitigation plans and comply with online safety obligations. Platforms are now obligated to curb exposure to explicit or harmful content, particularly for children.
Cyberbullying is also being addressed seriously. From January to 15 August 2025, 32,982 takedown requests were filed, with 25,959 (79%) successfully removed. TikTok, Facebook, and Tumblr had the highest volumes of cases.
A national Safe Internet Campaign (KIS) was launched in January 2025 and is being implemented in over 10,000 educational institutions. The campaign promotes digital literacy and child online safety, tackling issues such as sexual exploitation, CSAM, and cyberbullying.
As of 1 August 2025, more than 70,000 students had participated in KIS programmes across 680 institutions. While its primary focus is online safety, KIS also addresses empathy, conflict resolution, and the dangers of physical bullying.
"Parents play a vital role in protecting children from online harm. Monitoring, screen-time limits, and education on privacy and digital safety are essential," Fahmi said. - August 20, 2025
