KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 — Several mechanisms can be considered in efforts to improve protection coverage for arts industry activists as well as media practitioners who work as stringers in the country, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
He said this included expanding the social security protection scheme under the Social Security Organisation (Socso) for the self-employed to contribute to enable them to benefit from invalidity pension and survivors’ pension benefits.
“However, (this) is still early for us to decide because it depends on several things that are in Socso’s estimation, but tomorrow, I will hold a meeting with Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong and Socso.
“This will be the first official meeting for us to examine several aspects and I hope that in the not too distant future, we will have good news for the artistes, as well as cast and production and filming crew, members of the media and the e-hailing community,” he told reporters at the Lembah Pantai parliamentary constituency’s Chinese New Year Open House programme, here, last night.
He was asked to comment on his statement earlier yesterday that the Madani government is working to improve the artiste protection scheme to protect and improve the welfare of these groups and their family members.
Meanwhile, regarding the Professional Film Workers Association of Malaysia’s (Profima) request to grant mandatory special leave on February 1 to all film crew, Fahmi said the matter has not been considered at the ministry level.
“However, I will ask the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (Finas) to look into some improvements, for example, through the preparation of a standard contract that can be a guideline for all companies that shoot and get a Filming Authentication Certificate before filming any content,” he said.
“This is important because we see that there is a need to ensure that everyone, especially the crew, gets protection. So, I see that there are some practical things that we need to prioritise.
“Regardless, I am ready to meet with Profima and also other associations to study this proposal.”
Early this month, Profima president Khalil Saleh announced that requesting a special holiday on February 1 for all film crew nationwide was one of the five issues raised in the Resolusi Banding (Banding Resolutions) to Finas.
According to him, this was to recognise the services and sacrifices of film crew in the country’s creative industry which has always been underestimated.
— Bernama
