KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 13,712 applications for grants worth RM48.8 million has been approved under the Malaysian Creative Industry Stimulus Package (PRISMA) as of yesterday, Minister of Communications and Multimedia Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah announced.

He said the applications involved 19,000 jobs in all 32 programmes offered under the initiative, which was launched on Feb 5 to help creative industry players who were badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement today, the minister said PRISMA is open to four categories of creative industry players, namely in the film industry, music industry, digital creative content and visual art industry, and the performance and craft industry.

"A total of RM89.2 million has been set aside under the existing allocation to implement the 32 programmes under the ministry, Radio Televisyen Malaysia, Malaysian National Film Development Corporation, Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation, MyCreative Ventures and the Cultural Economy Development Agency," he said.

As continuous support to the industry, Saifuddin said the government has also set aside an additional aid of RM100 million under the National People's Wellbeing and Economic Recovery Package (PEMULIH) which was expected to benefit 8,000 individuals including singers, actors, scriptwriters, songwriters, theatre and performance art activists, production companies and crew members.

With an estimated 35,000 jobs to be created with this additional aid, Saifuddin also called on the industry players to grab the opportunity to apply for the programmes via the ministry's website at www.kkmm.gov.my/awam/prisma and also the websites of the relevant agencies.

-- BERNAMA