Malaysia allows creative industry to resume operations, offers relief to over 19k firms

Malaysia is allowing individuals in the creative industry who have received two full doses of COVID-19 vaccines to resume operations from 9 September. It will also provide relief to more than 19,000 companies related to the creative industry. 

Fully vaccinated individuals can now carry out activities such as developing and broadcasting creative content by a recording or a live podcast with an audience capacity of 30% allowed in the studio. Cinema and live performance activities are also allowed for fully vaccinated individuals with 50% capacity in the cinema space and 30% audience capacity for theatres and musicals. Meanwhile, art exhibition activities are also allowed so long as there is 30% visitor capacity in the space of the premises.

Prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said in a statement that the creative industry contributed 2% or RM29 billion of GDP in 2019. As the pandemic continues to take a toll on the country, Ismail added that standard operating procedures phase one aims to enable artists and workers from the creative industry to start working and earn a living. He hopes the move will revive the country's creative industry. 

This announcement will also revive all initiatives and programmes planned by the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia through the Malaysian National Film Development Corporation, MyCreative Ventures and the Arts and Culture Economic Development Agency, he added. 

In June, the government allocated RM46 million to 81 firms to support the creative industry. Approximately RM46 million of funding was handed out to support the production companies to open up more than 3,175 new employment opportunities in the creative industry. Shortly after, Malaysian Association of Advertising Filmmakers (PPFIM) sent an open letter to the Minister of Communications and Multimedia stating that by not allowing the advertising film industry to operate, it is "letting us die". PPFIM's president, Khoo Kay Lye, said the industry's business is "hanging on a thin line" and it is running out of money to support its employees.

PPFIM also appealed to the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia last May to allow the industry to resume shooting commercial films during the pandemic. Khoo said back then that without lifting the MCO on the industry, new TV commercials will not be produced and ad agencies will not be able to convince advertisers to sell. 

Last week, the Malaysian Association of Film Exhibitors also called for the government to allow cinemas to reopen. It said then that the livelihoods of more than 20,000 Malaysians in the film and cinema workforce are on the line, as exhibitors remain closed with no alternative source of income, or financial or monetary support from the Government.

Photo courtesy: 123RF 

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