Kuala lumpur: The National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) will summon exhibitors, distributors, and film producers to investigate allegations regarding the existence of a cartel and market dominance issues in the local film industry. Its chief executive officer, Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib, stated that although no official complaints have been received so far, FINAS is taking proactive steps to gather information to understand the actual situation occurring in the industry.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Azmir mentioned that FINAS has not officially received any complaints, but emphasized that they are actively paying attention to the industry dynamics. The organization is currently gathering information and plans to engage all relevant parties, including cinemas (exhibitors), distributors, and producers, to discuss and understand the current landscape. This statement was made to reporters following the Engagement Session with the FINAS Chief Executive Officer: National Film Policy 2026-2035 at the FINAS Tower in Damansara.
Azmir explained that the main concern is not solely about a single distributor dominating the entire market. Instead, the focus is on the possibility of an entity being involved at several levels of the industry chain as a distributor, publisher, and cinema owner. He noted that the review so far has found no company possessing all three licenses simultaneously, in line with the FINAS Act, which restricts a company to holding a maximum of two categories of licenses. Nonetheless, the investigation will explore whether cross-chain operations might be conducted through subsidiaries or different business entities.
Additionally, Azmir disclosed that FINAS received a notification from a local Tamil film producer about the last-minute entry of a film from India, which allegedly disrupted his film's screening schedule. To address such issues, FINAS is examining mechanisms to require advance notification for the entry of international films, similar to Singapore's approach, mandating notification at least a month before screening. Azmir emphasized the importance of schedule coordination to protect local films in all languages, including Malay, Tamil, and Chinese, from sudden competition with foreign films targeting the same audience.