Plan for Borneo Centre of Media Excellence in KK

KOTA KINABALU (Sept 13): The National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) plans to set up a Borneo Centre of Media Excellence here by 2026.

Finas chairman Dato’ Kamil Othman said the purpose of establishing this centre is to empower Sabahan film makers through strengthening infrastructure, such as by providing post-production and storage facilities.

Kamil added that once it is established, it would further facilitate local film talents as they would not need to travel far to obtain the services and tools that they require.

He was made to understand that the land for this centre has been allocated – somewhere on top of a hill in Kota Kinabalu – and it is expected to be completed in 2026, but certain facilities might already be available for use next year.

Kamil added that this proposal is to be included in the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13).

“You see, the talent in Sabah is there, it just needs to be strengthened through equipment or infrastructure.

“Now, this plan is only an interim. If it succeeds, then more private companies will open up more specialised centres.

“So the task of Finas and the State Government is to initiate this process,” he told reporters after officiating the “Ziarah Seni Madani” programme at Hyatt Regency Kinabalu here today.

On proposed allocations for Sabah’s film industry for RMK-13, he said Finas had a roundtable meeting recently, where they discussed to separate the usage of allocation between the Peninsular and Sabah and Sarawak, when compared to previous allocations which used a general formula for Malaysia as a whole.

Kamil explained the reason for this is because based on their research, the Bornean states require more guidance than the Peninsular which already had a head start in this regard.

He said such a move would also allow film experts from Sabah and Sarawak currently in the Peninsular to return to help train or contribute to the development of the film industry in their respective regions.

“I am not saying that there will be a special allocation for this. The allocation is there, but we want to separate its usage for Sabah and Sarawak to encourage more co-productions and collaborations.

“Because we are trying to do things differently than we have been in the past. For example, when we implement training for script writing, we now want to be more specified by breaking it down to training for script writing documentaries, adaptations, etc.

“We are also planning on providing training on topics we have not touched on before, such as project accounting and copyright clearance.

“And another one, with Universiti Malaysia Sabah and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak producing many graduates with relevant expertise such as in animation or production design every year, the question that arises is how will they look for work?

“So another strategy is to create projects in Sabah and Sarawak, so that they do not need to travel to the Peninsular to look for jobs or opportunities.

“Now, I am not discouraging them against going to the Peninsular, but rather, the film makers in Sabah have expressed their wish to develop the local industry, and I feel like this would be one of the best ways to do that,” he said.

Regarding the “Ziarah Seni Madani” programme, which saw Finas presenting contributions and cash aid to local film makers and fellow industry players, he said it is part of the corporation’s efforts to protect local artists.

Kamil added that this time, they are implementing the programme in a systematic way rather than fragmented, by working with existing associations such as the Kota Kinabalu Film and Video Association.