My tenure as Finas chairman only shortened - Zurainah

KUALA LUMPUR: Senator Datuk Seri Zurainah Musa confirmed that her tenure as chairman of the Malaysian National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) has been shortened by the Ministry of Communications and Digital.

Zurainah in a statement today said she had received a letter on the shortening of her term in office from the Office of the Minister of Communications and Digital, Fahmi Fadzil, and it was in line with the minister's authority under Section 4 (2) of the Malaysian National Film Development Corporation Act 1981.

"As the new Minister, this matter is his prerogative and I understand that as the new leader in the ministry, he will have his own vision and way of working, and needs the support of his own team members," she said.

Zurainah also explained that the move by the ministry to shorten her tenure had nothing to do with the accusations by certain quarters that there was misappropriation of FINAS funds.

Last week, the local media reported former FINAS Corporation member Datuk Seri Eizlan Yusof as claiming that the action of shortening Zurainah's tenure was related to the issue of misappropriation of funds for the Ghost Exhibition project organised by the Film Directors Association of Malaysia (FDAM).

At the same time, Zurainah said she was ready to help her potential successor to face various challenges in the film industry, including issues related to the welfare of those involved in the industry, especially film crew members who were at a critical stage.

"We need to ensure that they are not only protected by social insurance protection schemes such as the Self-Employed Social Security Scheme under the Social Security Organisation but we also need to address the issue of fair and appropriate wages for them," she said.

Zurainah said the agency's new leadership should also place emphasis on this to be included in the unity government's budget.

"We also need to study ways to get financial institutions to understand this industry and introduce financing facilities that are not burdensome, to ensure the sustainability of the industry as a whole and so that it does not only depend on government grants," she said.

She added that efforts to promote the country as an international film shooting destination should be taken seriously so that the Malaysian film industry does not fall behind.

-- BERNAMA