More than 200 artists and music practitioners gathered on June 21 at Restoran Saloma on Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, for a Musicians’ Convention organised by the Malaysian Artists’ Association (Karyawan).
The event, which was officiated by MyIpo Deputy Director General Razhuan Hussein, gave artistes and musicians a platform to voice their concerns and seek clarity on some unresolved issues affecting the industry.
Among the key issues discussed were royalties and the use of AI in music, with various experts sharing their views and recommending steps the government should take to regulate the industry and chart a way forward.
The convention was briefed on the latest developments concerning artistes’ royalty issues, covering both public performance royalties and mechanical royalties, which is the revenue generated from music downloads and streaming on platforms such as YouTube and Spotify.
“Recently, we heard that the family of the late Sudirman received RM367,000 in royalties owed to him by his recording company. While this could be seen as a positive step by certain quarters, several questions remain, chief among them, why it took so long for these royalties to be settled. The singer passed away tragically in 1992 at the age of 37, yet this matter is only being resolved 34 years later,” said Datuk Freddie Fernandez, President of Karyawan.
“Besides Sudirman, many other artistes have also not been receiving their dues from downloads and streaming rights. Karyawan will be compiling claims from recording artistes who have been denied their rightful royalties and will assist them in claiming what is rightfully theirs for works that have been used for many years without payment,” he added.
“The convention also discussed the large discrepancy in public performance royalties between recording companies and performers over the past two decades or so, and called for the government to act immediately to reinstate a single body for royalty collection. A single collection body would not only help control operating costs but also bring greater transparency to how royalties are distributed, ensuring members are paid more equitably.
"The convention also passed a resolution calling on the two bodies currently taking court action against the government namely MACP and RPM, to withdraw the action immediately and to allow the Guidelines on Royalty Collecting bodies to be implemented,” he added.
“The other hot topic of discussion was AI. Here too, government intervention was proposed to regulate its use but at the same time without curtailing it completely, as it provides musicians with a valuable tool for composing and arranging music. We cannot deny AI’s influence and its widespread use in the industry. What’s needed is a way to regulate it so that it doesn’t deny our composers and performers their right to earn a living from their work,” he added.
“Among the other topics covered were music education, concerts and digital distribution, with experts from each field putting forward recommendations for proposals to be included in a memorandum expected to be handed to the Prime Minister within the next two weeks.”
“We will proceed with drafting the memorandum immediately, taking into account all the input received from the convention, in the hope that swift action will be taken to address the issues raised,” he said.
“One reason we are reaching out to the Prime Minister is that music currently falls under five different ministries: Communications; Tourism, Arts and Culture; Domestic Trade and Cost of Living; and Education, which itself spans two ministries, namely the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education,” he added.
"Our hope is that a new body, a Music Industry Development Corporation, will be set up under the Prime Minister’s Department to oversee and spur the growth of the music industry, ensuring a brighter future for all the talented musicians and artistes in the country."
The convention was sponsored by Restoran Saloma Kuala Lumpur, a popular venue where artistes and musicians regularly gather to meet and discuss industry issues.
"Saloma Kuala Lumpur has been instrumental in helping many less fortunate artists every year. We are grateful they are also supporting important industry events such as this convention, which will help secure a more stable future for music practitioners in the country. We are eternally grateful, " said Freddie.
“Among the panellists who took part in today’s discussions were Para Rajagopal of Live Nation Malaysia; Shiraz of Shiraz Projects; indie concert promoter Aqmal Hakim; educationists Prof Madya Dr Ramona Tahir, Prof Dr Tazul Izan Tajuddin, Syukor Ibrahim and Wan Haris Wan Ismail, AI experts Hj Rozman Abas and Othman Masri, musician Dr Moja Salim, lyricist Ad Samad, music publisher Kimmy Khir, media icon Joe Lee, music entrepreneur Prashan Chitty, and Melvin Wong, Country Manager for Malaysia and Indonesia at music distribution channel OneRPM.”
“Our thanks go out to all of them for their kind contributions, as without their support this convention would not have been possible. We can all now look forward to a brighter future for those in the industry as a result of this significant event held today,” he added.
Other topics that were debated include artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on the music industry, grants and concert organisation, the latest developments in music education, and the role of social media in marketing digital music and the ways that Karyawan can help their members to overcome these issues.
