KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 — The proposal from the creative industry and film companies that seeks approval for outdoor filming during Phase One of the movement control under the National Recovery Plan will be presented to the National Security Council (MKN), said Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin.
Zahidi said the proposal would be submitted to MKN as soon as possible as industry players are badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and their situation is currently very critical.
He said one of the reasons cited by the industry for seeking the approval to operate was no COVID-19 clusters involving production crews were reported during the previous Movement Control Order.
“This matter will be brought to the MKN meeting to allow production companies to carry out (outdoor) filming activities,” he said during a press conference held at Wisma TV RTM Angkasapuri here today.
Earlier, Zahidi met with Malaysian Television Producers Association (PTVM) president Datuk Jurey Latiff Rosli and his deputy Datuk A. Aida.
Meanwhile, Jurey said the situation for industry players and production companies has become increasingly critical, adding nearly half of the companies under PTVM were expected to go out of business within two weeks, adding that he hoped the government would allow filming activities to continue by July 15 at the latest.
“As production crews, we are paralysed, we have no work…our salaries are all project-based, no work, no salary,” he said, adding that over 5,000 workers from 170 production companies under the association were severely affected.
Jurey also said he hoped MKN would expand the approval given to indoor filming to locations other than registered studios such as at private homes and office buildings among others.
