Support for Finas in developing Sabah creative industry

KOTA KINABALU: The Communications and Multimedia Ministry (KKMM) will ensure that the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) will continue to receive allocations to organise programmes pertaining to the development of the creative industry in Sabah this year, said its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak.

He said the ministry was optimistic that such programmes - including training courses, workshops, film-making, script writing, film direction, acting, special effects and animation could empower and further boost the industry in the state.

“I believe the ecosystem of the film industry needs to continue to empower human capital development especially involving the younger generation in Sabah, to ensure that the group will continue to grow on their own and be more creative via a series of human capital development programmes.

“Last year, an allocation of RM400,000 through the 11th Malaysia Plan was spent on various training courses and workshops with participation from over 5,000 people state-wide,” Salleh said when closing the ‘Cinta Negaraku, Bikin Filem Pendek 2017' programme here yesterday.

Also present were Finas chairman Datuk Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib; Finas directorgeneral Datuk Fauzi Ayob; and Sabah and Sarawak Creative Industry advisor, Datuk Deddy M. Borhan.

Salleh said the younger generation in Sabah with promising talents in the creative industry, particularly the film industry, could revive the state's glory days as the film hub in Malaysia at one point.

“In the 1970s, Sabah Film Production led by Datuk Deddy M. Borhan saw a boom in the local film industry and created good socio-economy by opening employment opportunities and industrial networking until today,” he said.

The four-day programme which ended July 21, was organised by Finas in collaboration with Universiti Malaysia Sabah's (UMS) Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Heritage as well as the Kota Kinabalu District Education Office.

Students from 10 secondary schools here participated in the programme.

Meanwhile, Salleh congratulated the students for having succeeded in manifesting their aspirations and love for the country via short films.

He also urged Malaysians to celebrate this year's National Day with full of patriotism without being influenced by external elements now trying to divide and threaten the people. - Bernama