81 production firms benefit from digital content grant - Saifuddin

KUALA LUMPUR, June 29  -- A total of 81 production companies have received allocations from the Digital Content Grant (DKD) amounting to RM46.99 million to, among others, assist national arts and creative industry players affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said DKD this time comprised four categories, namely Film Grant, Documentary Film Grant, Marketing Grant as well as the TV/OTT Programme Grant in special collaboration with Astro, which are all expected to create 3,175 job opportunities.

“This DKD initiative is also to enable the creative industry players to optimise the potential of the creative content industry in the domestic and global markets.

“It is also capable of developing competitive creative content as a source of national income in achieving high-income economic status, thus increase the production of competitive Malaysian creative content intellectual property,” he said during a notification session for DKD offer letter recipients that was held online today.

He said the DKD initiative was implemented to facilitate and encourage creative industry players in the production, publication as well as dissemination of highly creative content as well as optimising the potential of the creative content industry in the domestic and global markets.

Saifuddin said the DKD this time was an extension of the Malaysian Creative Industry Stimulus Package (PRISMA) that was launched on Feb 5 to ensure the survival and sustainability of the country's creative industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (KKMM) would always assist the country’s arts and creative industry players, including in terms of facilitating bureaucracy in any matter.

He, however, reminded them not to compromise on the quality of the work produced.

Asked how the DKD would be beneficial when related activities, including filming, were not allowed during Phase One of Movement Control under the National Recovery Plan (PPN), Saifuddin replied: “At least they can start making plans with the money. When they are permitted to operate, they need not have to wait anymore.”

He also hoped that filming activities would be permitted when the country is in Phase Two of Movement Control under the PPN. 

-- BERNAMA