The Communications and Digital Ministry has called on broadcast station Awesome TV to fulfil its responsibilities regarding outstanding debts and any lawsuits that may involve the publisher as soon as possible.
Its minister, Fahmi Fadzil (above), said he had a meeting with the private free-to-air channel Awesome TV on May 15 to ensure that any such issues did not persist.
"At the meeting, I asked the director and CEO of Awesome TV to immediately explain the issue of arrears if there are any... I see this matter as quite important.
"I urge Awesome TV to immediately resolve this issue even though I understand that some parties have civil suits and so on.
"I ask that if possible all parties sit at the negotiation table and resolve the matter so that all parties can benefit," he said.
Fahmi said this after a Creative Industries Town Hall session held in Kuala Lumpur last night.
Also present were Finas chairperson Kamil Othman and chief executive Md Nasir Ibrahim who served on the panel. The session was conducted by actor and lawyer Naz Rahman.
More than 400 film industry activists attended the bilateral session to express their grievances related to the creative sector.
The Lembah Pantai MP also said that the outstanding debt has affected drama producers or programmes financed by MyCreative Ventures Sdn Bhd, which is an agency under the ministry.
"I understand that MyCreative Ventures has complained that there are a number of producers or companies that receive funds from the agency with the aim of producing films or materials.
"That materials should have been bought by Awesome TV. But, for some reason, there are a number of companies that have not received payment from Awesome TV.
"This will affect the loan that the companies received from MyCreative Ventures. So, I have asked for detailed information (regarding it)," said Fahmi, who will hold a follow-up meeting with Awesome TV.
Meanwhile, regarding the claim that Awesome TV was operating without a licence, Fahmi said the matter was being investigated by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
"I understand that MCMC has issued a compound notice against Awesome TV because the station was operating in violation of licensing conditions.
"However, I have asked MCMC as the regulatory body that controls licences to continue to monitor several other matters," he said.
In February it was reported that MCMC was probing Awesome TV over a report that claimed the government is planning to axe 800,000 civil servants.
In its defence, Awesome TV said that some social media practitioners had manipulated the Berita 757 report that it produced. - Mkini
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