KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 — The Communications and Multimedia Ministry (K-KOMM) will unveil new guidelines for concert organisers bringing in international acts by the end of 2022.
K-KOMM secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohammed Mentek said the guidelines are being finalised by the Central Agency for Application for Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (Puspal).
“We have actually been working on the new guidelines since 2019 to make them more relevant to the current industry’s needs to keep up to date with present situations and trends,” he told The Star in an interview published today.
A new system, which is slated to be up and running by the end of 2023, will handle the application process for permits for performances by foreign artists and filming by foreign film crews.
“The system will be able to handle the whole application process for foreign filming and foreign performances from the beginning of the planning stages until the end,” he added.
Mohammed said K-KOMM hopes to make Malaysia a destination for foreign film and will produce a guidebook to be distributed worldwide to promote Malaysia as a film destination.
Recently, PAS Youth expressed its concerns about foreign concerts returning to Malaysia, claiming they did not comply with the country’s cultural sensitivities.
The wing’s chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari called on the government to cancel and disallow concerts from international artistes as they supposedly do not match the norms and values of Muslims in Malaysia.
Ahmad Fadhli, who is also the Pasir Mas MP, urged individuals and non-governmental organisations who share the same view to “rise together” and stop what he termed as the slow creep of “hedonism” into society.
