Two main points agreed upon after first round of talks to amend Finas Act - Saifuddin

Two main points were agreed upon following today's first round of talks to amend the National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) Act 1981 (Act 244), said Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

The discussion, chaired by him, was also attended by officers from the ministry and FINAS, representatives from the Attorney-General's Chambers, lawyers and industry stakeholders.

He said the first point agreed upon was on the workflow for the amendment process involving policy determination; engagement with the stakeholders, including the government, industry, civil society, academics and Members of Parliament; as well as comparisons with relevant laws in other countries.

Secondly, he said, it was agreed that the drafting of the bill would involve several main points, which include the position of social media users in producing material for sharing on the platform; improvement of existing rules; and the provision of a new definition to the existing definition in Act 244.

"The second round of discussions will be held in the first week of September to fine-tune details discussed today. I'm confident these efforts will bear fruit towards realising and empowering the ecosystem of the country's creative industry," he said in a statement today.

-- BERNAMA