Revoke licences if film production firms disregard standard contract, Finas told

Karyawan president Freddie Fernandez said the proposed standard employment contract for crew members would improve the productivity of film production firms.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Artistes Association (Karyawan) says the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) must be prepared to revoke or suspend the licences of production companies that disregard standard employment contracts proposed for the industry.

Speaking to FMT, Karyawan president Freddie Fernandez said licences issued by Finas should contain clauses compelling production companies to adhere to the terms of such contracts.

“Finas should ensure that they (production companies) fulfil the terms in the licence.

“Should they fail, Finas should have the option to take whatever action is deemed suitable, including revoking or temporarily suspending their licences,” he said.

On Tuesday, comedian and actor Harith Iskander said the success of Finas’s plan to implement standard employment contracts to address overtime and other issues faced by film crew members hinges on the commitment of industry players to the endeavour.

Fernandez said the terms of the proposed contracts, which provide for salary scales and prescribe working hours, are designed to improve the welfare of production workers, especially those who work behind-the-scenes.

He said there have been cases in the past where production crews have been forced to work unreasonably long hours without any compensation.

“With this move, companies would be under pressure to improve productivity, adhere to schedules and shoot within a stipulated time, so that they don’t incur the extra overtime pay.

“Overall, it’s a good move and could serve as the first step towards nurturing better professionalism and accountability in the film and creative content industry,” said Fernandez.

On Feb 1, Finas announced it would introduce a standard contract for producers, actors and crew members this year to address various employment issues affecting the industry.

Finas CEO Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib said the standard contract will cover salary scales, daily working hours, insurance and Social Security Organisation (Socso) protection.

Azmir said discussions on the matter have been held at the top level over the past couple of years and are now at their final stages.