KUALA LUMPUR – A total of 81 production companies have received allocations from the Digital Content Grant amounting to RM46.99 million to, among others, assist national arts and creative industry players affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said the grant this time comprised four categories, namely film grants, documentary film grants, marketing grant, and the TV/OTT Programme grant in special collaboration with Astro, which are all expected to create 3,175 job opportunities.
“This initiative will also enable creative industry players to optimise the potential of the creative content industry in the domestic and global markets.
“It is capable of developing competitive creative content as a source of national income in achieving high-income economic status, increasing the production of competitive Malaysian creative content intellectual property,” he said during a notification session for grant offer letter recipients held online today.
Saifuddin said the grant this time was an extension of the Malaysian Creative Industry Stimulus Package launched on February 5 to ensure the survival and sustainability of the country’s creative industry during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the Communications and Multimedia Ministry would always assist the country’s arts and creative industry players, including in terms of facilitating bureaucracy in any matter.
He, however, reminded them not to compromise on the quality of the work produced.
When asked how the grant would be beneficial when related activities, including filming, were not allowed during phase one of movement controls under the National Recovery Plan, Saifuddin replied: “At least they can start making plans with the money. When they are permitted to operate, they need not wait anymore.”
He also hoped that filming activities would be permitted when the country is in phase two of movement controls under the recovery plan. – Bernama, June 29, 2021
