KUALA LUMPUR, February 24 – The government has allocated RM127 million to fuel the creative industry, art and culture. From that amount, the government allocated the Digital Content Fund (DKD) worth RM102 million to support the efforts of creative arts activists to elevate the local arts and culture sector. The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said the allocation allows the marketing of local art products to be enhanced as well as encouraging more creative works to be produced.
The government proposes that the contribution of the Film Community and National Film Development Fund under FINAS will be given a tax deduction, he said. Anwar said that cultural activities play a big role in creating a civil society that respects each other and is united. This is also important to enrich the diversity of artistic treasures that we have inherited from time to time. The government provides a fund of RM25 million to stimulate cultural and artistic activities at the community level.
Cultural empowerment starts with the culture of iqra’ to foster an interest in reading classic and great works involving the treasures of the Malay world, the Islamic world and the West, he said. Anwar said, the government supports efforts to promote and translate great works such as Imam Al-Ghazali, founder of Maqasid Syariah Abu Ishaq al-Shatibi, Sheikh Daud Abdullah al-Fatani and Nuruddin Ali ar-Raniri, thinker, writer and philosopher Muhammad Iqbal.
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) together with the Malaysian Translation and Book Institute (ITBM) and the Karyawan Foundation were given the mandate to intensify translation activities and make it a popular reading material. High-quality publishing activities by local writers will also be enhanced. A total of RM20 million has been provided for this purpose, he said.
