Report: Tourism minister admits musicians suffering in Covid-19 crisis

CORONAVIRUS | Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Nancy Shukri has reportedly acknowledged that performing artistes are badly impacted by the Covid-19 outbreak.

According to online portal Free Malaysia Today (FMT), Nancy had told Persatuan Pemuzik Tempatan Selangor (PPTS) that she understood the impact of Covid-19 on out of work musicians who were suffering "financially and emotionally".

This was after critics from the industry had panned her remarks made during an interview with Astro Awani's "Consider This" news programme.

They branded her as being "clueless" and insensitive to the industry's needs for saying that as part of government efforts to revive the tourism sector, the arts sector would not be sidelined as it is a "complementing" element.

"No, that's why I said. Arts are complementing. [...] The arts are actually at the front now because they are the fastest to recover in terms of being in the arts industry, a lot of people are very keen in what they are doing," she said.

According to FMT, Nancy's latest remarks were made in response to PPTS that had relayed to her the views of musicians upset over her comments.

She also reportedly invited PPTS and other organisations representing the industry to meet to figure out a solution to their predicament, in collaboration with the Communications and Multimedia Ministry.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah had also reportedly met with music representatives of various bodies last Friday.

PPTS secretary John Sham said the meeting was to map a strategy to create income opportunities for musicians and to keep the industry viable.

"We must realise that Covid-19 brought unprecedented chaos that caused every imaginable sector to reel.

"We have to bear with those who don’t fully understand the difficulties the music industry is facing and should be patient in our approach to finding solutions," he was quoted as saying.

All forms of mass gatherings have been prohibited under the MCO and Defence Minister Ismail Sabri recently indicated that certain procedures, including the guideline for social distancing, would remain in place for an extended period after the MCO has been lifted.

These regulations have not only impacted artistes and performers, many of whom have shifted to alternative online platforms, but also behind the scene workers who have fewer options to recover income lost from cancelled shows. - Mkini