ISKANDAR PUTERI: The government has assured industry players and users of new media platforms to continue being creative in their work while waiting for a relevant law to be updated.
However, Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said users need to practice self-regulation.
He said the government is currently working on amending creative industry-related laws such as the decades-old Finas Act to bring it up-to-date with the current needs and development.
"This will take some time as we will need to get input and feedback from the relevant experts.
"Besides having gazetted laws, it is also important to give as much freedom as possible to these players so that they can create quality contents," said Saifuddin.
However, he said, users must practice self regulation so that their workl would not touch on "any sensitivities".
"Self regulation is much more important than any laws that the government can gazette.
"We have to remember that the film and technology industries progress at a rapid pace. In the end, any laws will be left behind and always have to catch up with these development," said Saifuddin.
He was speaking after launching the southern zone YouTube and Cinema Community Skills Workshop at the Iskandar Malaysia Studios here, today.
Also present were the ministry's secretary general Datuk Suriani Ahmad and Finas chairman Zakaria Abdul Hamid.
In another matter, Saifuddin said the ministry is collaborating with the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry to set up a Creative Industry task force.
He said the task force is being set up to help the industry to develop further.
"This is because there are certain matters that are under the jurisdiction of MOTAC but the organisations that can implement them are under my ministry.
"The framework of the task force is there but we want to formalise it as soon as possible," said Saifuddin, adding that task force will also comprised arts and culture activists and the corporate sectors.