KUCHING: The Communications and Multimedia Ministry will set up a committee to discuss methods to help develop the Sarawak music industry.
Its minister Gobind Singh Deo said this when attending a ‘Juh Berambeh’ programme yesterday at Borneo 744, Bintawa.
At the town hall session, he met those in the entertainment industry especially in the music industry and listened to their problems.
“I told them earlier that we have set up a full committee in Kuala Lumpur that deals with the music industry and there is a need to expand it to Sabah and Sarawak as well.
“For Sarawak, I told those at the town hall that we need to set up a committee after seeing a lot of enthusiasm today. Hopefully in the next few days, we will gather all the names and make another visit to Kuching soon either to Finas or Borneo 744,” he said.
Gobind assured that they can start looking at how to help the local creative industry with issues that include financial support, government bureaucracy, and how the government can help singers market themselves.
“There are a lot of problems but I have always said where there are problems, we must solve them,” he said to reporters after the town hall concluded.
He further added that they would take one step at a time and for starters they should set up an organisation that can sustain itself when collaborations with the industry and the federal government are in place.
“I welcome everyone into this group, and I will also speak to the state government to join us so that we can have contributions from all sectors,” he said.
As for the number of persons in the group, he said there is no set figure as it depends on the situation and needs.
He suggested starting with a small number first for ease of management and to make it easier to meet.
Yesterday’s town hall posed several questions on the entertainment industry in general and the music industry in Sarawak specifically. One of the questioners wanted to know how to raise awareness of the local music industry; introduce more events for musicians/singers to market their products; funds for those want to start their careers; product exposures and so on.
