PETALING JAYA, Jan 18 — Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said new chairman and board members for the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) will look into matters pertaining to leakages and corruption over film funding.
Fahmi said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today touched on the matter after the National Audit Department recently reprimanded Finas regarding a number of issues related to funds transferred to recipients, especially from 2017 to 2021.
"So I hope that in the near future, we will appoint a board chairman for Finas as well as new board members and we hope they will try to improve the issues that have been raised.
"At the same time, I see that the chief executive officer of Finas and the team are currently investigating and trying to overcome the problem, but I will ask for a full briefing session so that I can understand what all the corruption is about and if Finas wants to (find a solution) what is the action that will be taken," he said when met at the exclusive screening of the film Duan Nago Bogho today.
Fahmi said further details will be tabled at Parliament by the Audit Department first.
He added that many filmmakers put their hopes in Finas and therefore the government must ensure that the funds are channelled accordingly.
"And if it (the funds) is given to the wrong person, we must be careful so that it does not happen again in the future.
"The intention is not for a witch hunt but for us to learn from our mistakes, improve the situation and ensure that the people's money, especially in the creative field of film art, can be maximised,” he said.
Finas is responsible for channelling funds and grants to filmmakers in the country and promoting Malaysian films abroad.
One of the most prominent grants which have yielded results is the Digital Content Grant (DKD). From 2017 until June this year, an allocation totaling RM180.8 million made its way to industry players who received the DKD offer, to incentivise them to produce local works of various genres.
