Govt To Review National Creative Industry Policy - Fahmi

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 (Bernama) -- The National Creative Industry Policy (DIKN) will be reviewed to ensure its benefits are fairly and widely shared among creative professionals and communities nationwide.

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the move also aims to strengthen policies for a more inclusive, sustainable and high-impact creative industry.

He added that creative industry agencies have been instructed to reserve a portion of funds for eligible first-time applicants who meet the set criteria.

“I have called on the relevant agencies and departments to reserve a portion of funds for first-time applicants, as long as they meet the eligibility and quality criteria.

“This will serve as an important benchmark for fairer fund distribution,” he said, responding to a question from Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (PN-Masjid Tanah) on claims of unfair creative fund allocation during a Dewan Rakyat question-and-answer session today.

Fahmi said funds will be distributed through tiered evaluations, with checks and balances, performance-based allocations, and a cooling-off period for past recipients to prevent overlap.

On the position of the creative industry in the country’s economic landscape, he said the 2024 Cultural and Creative Satellite Account published by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) showed the sector contributed 6.8 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), growing 7.1 per cent in 2024.

Exports of cultural and creative products rose from RM56 billion in 2023 to RM63 billion in 2024, reinforcing the sector’s role as a key driver of the economy, in line with its target contribution of seven to 10 per cent to GDP.

“In addition, the industry has created over 763,000 jobs across the audio-visual, music, performing arts, books and print media, visual arts and crafts, cultural heritage, and cultural education sectors,” he said.

Commenting on Papazola The Movie, Fahmi said the film is proof that locally produced cultural and creative intellectual property can compete nationally and be commercialised internationally.

He said the animated film by Monsta Studio has grossed RM61.35 million as of Jan 20, making it the highest-grossing local animated film in history, surpassing Ejen Ali The Movie 2, and is set to screen in Indonesian cinemas next week.

He said the success should serve as encouragement for local creators to develop culturally rooted and creative works that can compete nationally and be commercialised internationally.

-- BERNAMA