PUTRAJAYA – More than 9,000 creative industry players are set to benefit from the RM89.2 million Malaysian Creative Industry Stimulus Package (Prisma), said Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
He said Prisma is a short-term initiative by the ministry to ensure the survival and sustainability of the country’s creative industry amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The assistance focuses on three main strategies, namely facilitating the financing of creative content production; spurring the capacity and skills of creative industry players; and, providing market access for local creative products.
“For this purpose, a total of RM89.2 million is provided under the ministry allocation to implement 32 programmes in four categories, namely film, music, digital creative content, and visual arts, performances and crafts,” he said at Prisma’s virtual launch today.
He said RM67.7 million of the allocation is in the form of grants, while RM9 million is for loans and RM12.5 million for broadcast slots.
“On average, 60% of the 32 programmes have been improved on, in terms of standardising the application procedures and processes, shortening the time required, as well as simplifying the process and method of distribution.”
He said the programmes will be implemented in stages from today until June.
“Although the main goal is to help those in the creative industry during the pandemic, the evaluation process to channel the allocation will still be carried out to ensure the quality and value of the work produced is improved.”
He said the ministry is in the midst of preparing a comprehensive evaluation system for creative industry activities.
“We do not want to look only at how much is spent, or how many projects. We want to know what the real impact is.
“For example, there may be films that don’t do well at the box office, but from a national standpoint, it’s very valuable.”
He added that at least 40,000 jobs are expected to be created under Prisma programmes. – Bernama, February 5, 2021
