PUTRAJAYA – The Film Community Fund established today is an effort by the unity government to preserve the well-being and welfare of the country’s film industry, according to Minister of Communications and Digital Fahmi Fadzil.
He said among the fund’s objectives was to operate film community programmes and awareness campaigns to advance the Malaysian film industry, in addition to distributing aid or providing contributions and donations to those in need within the filming community.
In welcoming collaborations and contributions from corporate companies, foundations, non-governmental organisations, or individuals to the Film Community Fund, Fahmi said another objective of the initiative was to finance the activities of the Malaysian National Film Development Corporation (Finas) with regard to developing the filming community.
“This fund has a role to coordinate the distribution of aid, donations, donations received through cooperation from government bodies, NGOs, associations, private companies and individuals,” he said when launching the fund today.
Met by reporters after the event, Fahmi hinted at the possibility of a Rahmah social security package for creative industry players and journalists to be introduced, following his recent meeting with the Social Security Organisation (Socso).
“I previously mentioned the need to take care of the welfare of not only those involved in the creative industry but also journalists. I see that ‘stringers’ (freelance journalists) often face issues with social security.”
He said he had also instructed Finas and Kumpulan MyCreative Ventures Sdn Bhd (MyCV) to hold urgent discussions on the matter with Socso.
“Finas and MyCV have held some discussions with Socso to look at the social security aspects of employees in the creative industry… there are aspects of social security that need attention, including the issue of invalidity pension and death benefit,” he said. – August 28, 2023