KKMM looking into proposal to help media industry

The Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (KKMM) is looking into the proposal on the commercial and legal aid to help the media industry affected by COVID-19.

Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said he has taken note of some of the suggestions put forward in the proposal, such as buying advertising space, forcing technology giants like Google and Facebook to pay for media and news content, as well as revising the tax regime.

"Those are among the suggestions made by prominent journalists and media industry players, we will discuss the matter and see how far we can help," he told reporters during his visit to the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) at Wisma Bernama, here today.

The local media industry players had recently called for government's interference in ensuring that the industry, which had been 'jeopardised' by digital technology, to stay afloat.

Meanwhile, Saifuddin said the KKMM has tabled the standard operating procedure (SOP) proposed by the film industry players at the Special Ministerial Committee meeting on COVID-19 to ensure that they could continue filming during the Conditional Movement Control Order (SMCO) period.

"The proposed SOP has been tabled last Tuesday, but there has yet to be a decision on that as the committee and the National Security Council are still mulling over the suitability. It all depends on the latest developments in our war against COVID-19.

"We have tried our level best to convince them to (to approve the SOP), but there is no decision yet and they are still mulling over it," he added.

-- BERNAMA