KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 ― Is it possible that 2024 will finally put an end to the turmoil surrounding the welfare of artistes, including issues like overtime work that have long been deeply rooted in this creative industry.
Indeed, the issues concerning the country’s entertainment industry have recently gained attention and hope among practitioners, especially among artistes, actors, and behind-the-scenes crew members, to see the effectiveness of efforts in uplifting their welfare.
The height of expectation is a result of the commitment previously made by the Ministry of Communications, including instructing the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) to address issues such as child actor salaries, veteran artiste welfare, and the overwork culture.
Working up to 20 hours a day has been a heated topic among artistes, including actor Sharnaaz Ahmad and the Artistes Association of Malaysia (Seniman), which has been pushing for the need to eradicate the culture of overworking in the industry.
Therefore, most practitioners interviewed by Bernama are eager to see the implementation of standard contract by Finas, which is said to be carried out this year, as it could mark the resolution point for the culture that has plagued the industry for so long.
Nevertheless, it is hoped that the standard contract terms would involve discussions with the entire entertainment industry ecosystem, including television stations, production companies, and behind-the-scenes workers, to ensure fairness, said Malaysian Television Producers Association president Datuk Jurey Latiff Rosli.
“There are various major issues in the industry that remain unresolved, such as artistes arriving late, taking overlapping jobs, producers not paying artistes, crew members being exploited on set, and many other longstanding issues. This is the harsh reality of the industry that needs attention.
“How much longer does the industry need to endure all the chaos and injustice due to the imperfections of the system? We want Finas, as the intermediary, to act fairly in resolving all arising matters, and it needs to start from the roots,” he told Bernama.
Previously, Finas chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib said that the standard contract would contain detailed clauses regarding overtime work issues aimed at resolving conflicts and other related matters concerning the welfare of behind-the-scenes workers.
Nevertheless, the standard contract not only aims to eradicate the culture of overworking but also is crucial in preventing industry workers from being exploited or deceived, according to director Datuk Prof A Razak Mohaideen.
“The standard contract covers payment methods, how much payment, tasks to be performed, and when payments will be made. This means that when the contract is signed, including how many hours of work per day and so on, there will be no issues in the future because the contract is clear,” he said.
The lecturer at the College of Creative Arts, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) also said that the standard contract can stop the oppression of new and less popular actors regarding unfair payments.
The issue of overtime work cannot be taken lightly as it can lead to someone losing control of their anger if it persists for a long time, affecting social relationships with family and friends.
Social expert Prof Datuk Dr Mohammad Shatar Sabran said this happens when someone is too tired from work, triggering various negative thoughts.
“Some people are not good at controlling their emotions, and they will release their problems onto their family and those around them and the individual involved will become less productive,” he said, adding that the time has come for the standard contract to be implemented immediately. ― Bernama
