KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Artistes' Association or Karyawan has welcomed Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali's plan to overhaul the royalties collection system for artistes and musicians.
Its president Datuk Freddie Fernandez said that such an overhaul was crucial to ensure that all artistes were paid every ringgit and sen for their songs that were played on television and the radio.
"Karyawan greatly appreciates Armizan's pledge that the government will make sure artistes are rewarded for their music," he said.
"For many artistes, especially veterans who are widely respected and household names, they hear their songs on TV and radio from time to time but have yet to receive a single sen for them."
Fernandez added that it was a crying shame that over RM100 million was collected annually by the bodies entrusted with royalties collection, yet many artistes did not get what was due to them.
"These organisations, by right, must prioritise artistes, instead of publishers and investors. Artistes should not be made to receive pitifully small sums of royalties, it is their lifelong work and they deserve the full sum."
Fernandez said that Karyawan proposed the setting up of a committee headed by Armizan and comprising only composers, musicians and artistes to resolve the royalty payments issue.
"Not paying our artistes should not happen in this time and age. For every song that comes on air, payment should go to the artiste who performed it."
Yesterday, Armizan said that his ministry had over the years through the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) established nine collective management organisations (CMOs) to administer the collection and distribution of royalties to copyright owners in respect of their works.
Seven of these CMOs are up for renewal.
"We are aware that these CMOs suffer from governance issues, royalties are collected but have not been distributed to those who are entitled to receive payments. Since the CMO renewal process is ongoing, we will review the relevant issues that have arisen in respect of each of them," said Armizan.
Armizan also said that his ministry would look into the possibility of a having single body deal with the collection of royalties, and would cooperate with the Communications Ministry to make it happen.
