Orange economy has potential to power growth of Malaysia’s creative sector, says Fahmi

The creative economy, contributing 6.8% to Malaysia's GDP, has potential for substantial growth through exporting local content globally, aided by digital technology.

The government established the Orange Economy Council to enhance the creative industry and address issues like copyright and AI usage.

Financial support primarily targets film and music sectors, while eligible media outlets can access the RM30 million Media Innovation Fund.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 — The creative economy sector, which contributes about 6.8 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), holds immense potential to become a new driver of the nation’s economic growth, said Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil.

He noted that advancements in digital technology now allow local creative content such as podcasts, music, animation, video games, and social media content to be exported to global markets, transcending geographical boundaries.

“When we produce a podcast, the audience isn’t limited to those inside the studio. Someone in California can watch it, someone in New Delhi can watch it, and even someone in Vladivostok can watch it,” he said while appearing as a guest on Jangan Kecam podcast hosted by Nazz Abdullah.

Fahmi said this demonstrates significant scope for exporting local content and intellectual property (IP) worldwide, thereby opening up broader revenue opportunities for creative industry players.

He added that this potential has prompted the government to establish the Orange Economy Council to guide and help strengthen the creative industry ecosystem, encompassing sectors such as film, music, video games, e-sports, and animation.

Regarding whether content creators fall under the “orange economy” category, he noted that while they are part of the creative economy, their business models vary and must be understood before specific forms of assistance can be determined.

“Content creation is not a job category with a uniform business model, some generate income through affiliate marketing, product sales, streaming, view counts, advertising, sponsorships, and brand collaborations.

According to him, digital platforms such as TikTok, TikTok Shop, Shopee, Facebook Marketplace, and Lazada also contribute to the growth of the digital economy by providing support and training related to sales, live streaming, and income generation.

Fahmi said issues requiring the government’s attention include copyright and the use of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly when the technology is used to produce content based on the works or identities of intellectual property owners.

“Many content creators are currently asking about AI how to use it, whether they can use tools like Suno or others to create AI-generated music.

“For instance, if we want to use a song by Faizal Tahir, feed it into an AI to create a new track, and then include that AI-generated music in our content is that permissible? In this regard, the government needs to step in and intervene to ensure that the rights of Faizal Tahir and other intellectual property owners are protected and safeguarded,” he said.

Regarding funding for content creators, Fahmi noted that there is currently no specific fund for this group, as the ministry’s support remains largely focused on sectors like film and music, in line with existing policies such as the National Film Policy and the National Broadcasting Policy.

However, he added that the Ministry of Communications, together with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), provides support to eligible mainstream and online media outlets, including through the Media Innovation Fund.

“The amount we allocated last year remains applicable this year which is RM30 million,” he said, explaining that media companies wishing to apply must meet certain criteria, including being registered with the Department of Information as electronic media entities.

Meanwhile, Fahmi urged creative industry players including eligible content creators to take advantage of the tax relief facilities provided by the Inland Revenue Board (IRB), including those for the purchase of business-related equipment.

“To date, no Malaysian content creators’ association has held an official meeting with me to raise specific industry issues; however, the government is open to understanding their needs and challenges,” he said. — Bernama

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创意经济对马来西亚国内生产总值贡献了 6.8%，在数字技术的帮助下，通过向全球出口本地内容，具有巨大的增长潜力。

政府成立了橙色经济委员会，旨在促进创意产业发展，并解决版权和人工智能使用等问题。

财政支持主要针对电影和音乐行业，而符合条件的媒体机构可以获得 3000 万令吉的媒体创新基金。

吉隆坡，10月8日讯——通讯部长拿督斯里法米·法兹尔表示，创意经济领域对国内生产总值（GDP）的贡献约为6.8%，具有成为国家经济增长新动力的巨大潜力。

他指出，数字技术的进步使得播客、音乐、动画、视频游戏和社交媒体内容等本地创意内容能够出口到全球市场，超越了地理界限。

“当我们制作播客时，听众并不局限于演播室里的人。加州的人可以观看，新德里的人可以观看，甚至符拉迪沃斯托克的人也可以观看，”他在做客纳兹·阿卜杜拉主持的 Jangan Kecam 播客节目时说道。

法赫米表示，这表明本地内容和知识产权（IP）在全球范围内具有巨大的出口潜力，从而为创意产业参与者开辟了更广泛的收入机会。

他还补充说，这种潜力促使政府成立了橙色经济委员会，以指导和帮助加强创意产业生态系统，涵盖电影、音乐、视频游戏、电子竞技和动画等领域。

关于内容创作者是否属于“橙色经济”范畴，他指出，虽然他们是创意经济的一部分，但他们的商业模式各不相同，必须先了解这些模式，才能确定具体的援助形式。

“内容创作并不是一个具有统一商业模式的职业类别，有些人通过联盟营销、产品销售、流媒体、观看次数、广告、赞助和品牌合作来获得收入。

他认为，TikTok、TikTok Shop、Shopee、Facebook Marketplace 和 Lazada 等数字平台也通过提供与销售、直播和创收相关的支持和培训，为数字经济的发展做出了贡献。

法赫米表示，需要政府关注的问题包括版权和人工智能（AI）的使用，特别是当该技术被用于根据知识产权所有者的作品或身份来制作内容时。

“许多内容创作者目前都在询问有关人工智能的问题，例如如何使用它，是否可以使用像 Suno 或其他工具来创作人工智能生成的音乐。

“例如，如果我们想使用费萨尔·塔希尔的一首歌，将其输入人工智能生成一首新曲子，然后将这首人工智能生成的音乐融入我们的内容中，这样做是否允许？在这方面，政府需要介入并进行干预，以确保费萨尔·塔希尔和其他知识产权所有者的权利得到保护和保障，”他说道。

关于内容创作者的资金问题，法赫米指出，目前还没有专门针对这一群体的资金，因为该部的支持仍然主要集中在电影和音乐等领域，这与《国家电影政策》和《国家广播政策》等现有政策相一致。

但他补充说，通讯部与马来西亚通讯及多媒体委员会 (MCMC) 一起，通过媒体创新基金等方式，为符合条件的主流媒体和网络媒体提供支持。

他表示：“我们去年拨出的金额今年仍然适用，即 3000 万令吉。”他解释说，希望申请的媒体公司必须满足某些条件，包括在新闻部注册为电子媒体实体。

与此同时，法米敦促包括符合条件的内容创作者在内的创意产业从业者利用内陆税收局 (IRB) 提供的税收减免措施，包括购买与业务相关的设备的减免措施。

“迄今为止，马来西亚没有任何内容创作者协会与我举行正式会议，讨论具体的行业问题；但是，政府愿意了解他们的需求和挑战，”他说道。——马新社

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