KUALA LUMPUR: The introduction of the Concerts and Events In Malaysia (CEMI) incentive is set to transform Malaysia into a key destination for international artists and large-scale events, according to Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching. The initiative, unveiled as part of Budget 2025, allocates RM10 million as a bidding grant to attract more concerts and events featuring foreign artists, potentially bolstering the entertainment sector and significantly impacting the national economy.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Teo highlighted the importance of the CEMI incentive in comparison to existing policies like the Film Incentives in Malaysia (FIMI), which have received more attention in the past. She emphasized that the CEMI incentive could bring more excitement and opportunities, as it aims to make Malaysia a popular destination for concerts and events involving international stars, given the substantial economic multiplier effect of the concert industry.

Teo noted that Malaysia hosted 280 concert
s featuring foreign artists last year, with the number increasing to 292 this year. Over the past two years, the concert industry has contributed RM1.47 billion to the national economy. She further stated that the Ministry of Communications has received 35 applications to hold concerts of foreign artists next year, with expectations for this number to grow.