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Free Malaysia Today
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Free Malaysia Today
Karyawan applies to intervene in judicial reviews of new copyright guidelines
Karyawan president Freddie Fernandez reiterated the association's full support for the Copyright (Collective Management Organisations) Guidelines 2025. PETALING JAYA : The Malaysian Artistes' Association (Karyawan) is seeking to be made a party to judicial review proceedings initiated by three collective management organisations (CMOs) challenging a new regulatory framework expected to take effect next year. In a statement, Karyawan president Freddie Fernandez said the association had instructed its lawyers to file applications to intervene in two separate judicial review actions seeking to quash the Copyright (Collective Management Organisations) Guidelines 2025. 'The guidelines stemmed from years of complaints by music authors, singers and composers who felt their voices were not being heard in the management of royalty collection and distribution. 'We have instructed our lawyers to file an intervener application on our behalf to support the government's guidelines, as they will finally give us a voice in determining how royalty-collecting bodies should be managed,' he said. Fernandez reiterated the association's full support for the guidelines, introduced by the domestic trade and cost of living ministry, which aim to establish a more equitable and transparent royalty collection system for the benefit of composers, singers and musicians. On July 1, the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted leave to two CMOs – Public Performance Malaysia Bhd (PPM) and Recording Performers Malaysia Bhd (RPM) – to commence judicial review proceedings over the guidelines. The court also fixed Aug 7 to hear the application by PPM and RPM to stay the enforcement of the guidelines pending the disposal of the lawsuit. The two CMOs named the controller of copyright, MyIPO, and the domestic trade and cost of living minister as respondents in their application. They claim the guidelines – scheduled to come into force on Jan 16, 2026 – were drawn up and issued by the respondents without proper consultation. They also alleged the guidelines contain provisions that exceeded the powers vested by law in the controller. On July 10, Music Authors Copyright Protection Bhd (MACP) was also granted leave by the High Court to commence a judicial review over the same guidelines. Justice Amarjeet Singh, who also presided over PPM and RPM's case, fixed Aug 19 to hear MACP's application to stay the enforcement of the guidelines pending the disposal of the lawsuit.
Free Malaysia Today
15-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Grants, new Puspal guidelines will boost entertainment industry, says association
Music Malaysia said the Cemi initiative is expected to directly benefit various stakeholders in the industry, including local artistes and musicians who will enjoy greater opportunities to perform and get international exposure. PETALING JAYA : The Concert and Event in Malaysia Incentives (Cemi), along with the new Puspal guidelines (GPP 6.0), are strategic steps toward strengthening the overall ecosystem of the nation's entertainment industry, says Music Malaysia chairman Freddie Fernandez. Fernandez said the RM10 million annual allocation under the Cemi programme will serve as a significant boost for the organisation of large-scale concerts and events. 'This move will not only elevate Malaysia's image as a regional entertainment hub, but also stimulate the tourism sector through the increase in domestic and international visitor arrivals,' he said in a statement. Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil, when announcing the initiative yesterday, said the financial rebate programme will take effect from May 15. Fernandez said the initiative is expected to directly benefit various stakeholders in the industry, including local artistes and musicians who will enjoy more opportunities to perform and get international exposure. 'Additionally, technical personnel such as sound engineers, lighting crews and production teams are expected to benefit from increased employment opportunities. 'Service providers such as sound system suppliers, event venues and accommodation providers are also anticipated to see heightened demand due to the expected surge in events being organised,' he added. Music Malaysia comprises 15 associations within the music industry, including concert organisers, recording companies, artiste associations and creative arts groups. It includes representation from Sabah and Sarawak. Fernandez said the GPP 6.0, which will be introduced from May 1, is also expected to expedite the application process for event organisers in obtaining approval from the authorities. 'This update will be particularly beneficial for small-scale performances and promotional events, with the processing time reduced from 14 days to just seven days. 'This will streamline organisers' operations and ensure smoother event implementation.' He said the association also supports the incident management measures outlined in GPP 6.0, including the implementation of a 'kill switch' that enables immediate termination of performances when necessary. 'This is an important measure to ensure the safety and smooth operation of events. It is a timely move, given past incidents that were unfortunate and could have been avoided,' he said. The 'kill switch' was initially proposed for use by concert organisers following the incident involving British band The 1975 at the Good Vibes Festival in July 2023 at the Sepang International Circuit.
