KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 — The amendment to the Malaysian National Film Development Corporation (Finas) Act 1981 (Act 244), scheduled to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat today, will focus on strengthening the development of the content industry, particularly in relation to filming activities and commercial content production.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said that under the proposed amendments, Finas will be tasked with managing and coordinating the issuance of Filming Certificates (SPP) and Malaysian Commercial Film Certificates for ‘Made in Malaysia’ certification.
She added that the amendments will also introduce the registration of filming activities for monitoring and policy planning purposes.
“The purpose of this amendment is to streamline the national film industry’s structure, encourage creativity and innovation, and ensure that the industry continues to grow within an orderly, professional and competitive ecosystem, without limiting the creative space of content creators,” she said.
Teo was responding to a question from Syerleena Abdul Rashid (PH—Bukit Bendera) on the ministry’s plans to amend Act 244 to regulate online content, including content on streaming platforms and social media, during the oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
She said the amendment to Act 244 would also introduce a new definition of ‘film’ to encompass all types of content across various platforms, including online streaming services (OTT), social media and content produced using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Teo said the amendment process took into account feedback from the industry, including licence holders, film associations and online streaming service providers, through a series of engagement sessions, town halls and stakeholder consultations.
“Among the issues frequently raised by industry players are the need to expand business opportunities and create more employment for Malaysians.
“They also emphasised the importance of implementing local talent development and skills enhancement programmes more systematically,” she said. — Bernama