Malaysia Steps Up Content Creation Efforts

December 3, 2009 World Screen

SINGAPORE: Malaysia’s Secretary General for the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture, Datuk Wira Kamaruddin bin Siaraf, spoke to World Screen Newsflash at Asia TV Forum about the country’s efforts to ramp up its content-creation initiatives.

Announced at the ATF today by the Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (FINAS) was a $55 million fund to boost Malaysian content. It will be available to all local production companies, as well as joint ventures that are at least 51-percent owned locally.
 
FINAS, the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) have been working together to spur the Malaysian content production sector.
 
"The Malaysian government is strongly committed to grow the local content industry and proactively incentivize the players to respond to the demands of the global $1.5 trillion content industry," the Secretary General said. "The plans include attracting international productions to our shores, winning awards in international film festivals and creation of funds to support the growth of talent and production of content in Malaysia."
 
Co-productions are a particular focus for Malay outfits, especially in the areas of animation and factual fare. A documentary on Malaysian wildlife is already in the works, Datuk Wira Kamaruddin told World Screen Newsflash. In addition, FINAS is working with Jose Escalante’s Latin Media Corporation on two Malaysian dramas. "We’re going to be producing both at the same time," Escalante told World Screen Newsflash. "Our deal is for two years. I think in the first year we’ll produce about 100 hours and then increase to 180 hours in the second year."

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