PUTRAJAYA, June 1 — A total of 960 local music industry players stand to benefit from the RM6 million Digital Music Content Fund (DKD Muzik) to produce content under the Hiburan Dari Rumah (HDR) programme.
Communications and Multimedia Minister, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said the fund would provide allocations to old and new recording artistes, entertainment club singers and musicians, buskers and nasyid groups to produce creative content of various genres for the HDR programme.
“The Hiburan Dari Rumah creative content produced must have musical elements and be based on the concept of music at home, in tune with the current pandemic situation,” he said at the virtual fund hand-over ceremony today.
He said the Communications and Multimedia Ministry was targeting the production of more creative content of potential and quality through this programme, in addition to creating more job opportunities not only for singers and musicians, but also for those working in supportive roles.
“Creative industry players are also given room to spur digitalisation towards developing a more sustainable creative industry in the country,” he said.
DKD Muzik is among the funds allocated under the Malaysian Creative Industry Stimulus Package (PRISMA) that was launched on Feb 5 to help industry players affected by the COVID-19 pandemic ensure the continuity and sustainability of the country’s creative industry.
Saifuddin said the HDR programme involved a significant number of beneficiaries and was the first and biggest effort implemented by the government specially for music industry players.
He added that the ministry was concerned about the plight of artistes, especially with the implementation of the total lockdown starting today until June 14 and efforts would be intensified to help lighten the group’s burden.
“We hope proactive measures and joint ventures between the government and industry players can create opportunities and markets for competitive creative content and expand the potential and talent of the locals, thus raising the industry to the global level,” he added.
Saifuddin said PRISMA offered 32 programmes worth RM89.2 million implemented by departments and agencies under the ministry and targeting over 9,000 creative industry players as beneficiaries.
“PRISMA also aims to create at least 40,000 job opportunities in various fields related to film, animation and digital games, music, performance arts and visual arts.
“Applications for all 32 programmes have been opened in stages and currently over 8,000 applications worth RM41 million have been approved, thereby providing direct and indirect assistance to the creative industry players,” he added.
Asked on the establishment of a music corporation, Saifuddin said the idea had long been discussed and the establishment needed to be speeded up because the COVID-19 pandemic had shown that there was a need for a platform to protect music industry players and to ensure the development of the industry.
“The question of regulation is an objective of the establishment of a music corporation. The main goal is the development of our country’s music industry, encompassing various genres including traditional music, and to identify traditional musical fields that are fading away, like the sape in Sarawak, sundatang in Sabah and dikir rebana in Pahang,” he said.
