KUALA LUMPUR (June 20): The Communications and Multimedia Ministry (KKMM) is reviewing laws governing the arts and creative industries, including the Copyright Act 1987, to protect the work of local artists and their right.

Its minister, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, said discussions on the laws relating to creative industries, including on royalty, copyright law, as well as entertainment tax, were held last week with the stake holders to provide the ministry with a “big picture” of the situation.

“We should have rules and regulations, but they should not be troublesome and at times, it is not the rules and regulations that is giving problems, but the bureaucratic red-tapes, so we have to look at the laws one by one,” he added.

He told this to reporters after visiting veteran actress Fauziah Nawi at her home in Taman Melati, Setapak, under the “Ziarah Kasih” programme organised by the Malaysian National Film Development Corporation.

Saifuddin also visited actress-cum-singer Mimi Loma, whose real name is Aminah Ismail, 74, at the PPR Seri Semarak. 

In another development, Saifuddin said the standard operating procedure (SOP) for the opening of cinemas would be announced by Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob next Monday.

“FINAS has discussed with television stations and cinema operators…not only on re-opening of cinemas, but also on how to get films into cinemas and drama on television,” he added.

He said the ministry was also looking into the condition of several welfare organisations that were supposed to look into the welfare of local artists.