MBWP, GeKrafs bina ekosistem industri kreatif belia Asean

The Youth Welfare Council (MBWP) aims to develop an Asean-level creative industrial ecosystem for youth through cooperation with the National Creative Economy Movement (GeKrafs), as confirmed by a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between MBWP and GeKrafs Malaysia. The event was attended by Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Mohammad Iman Hascarya Kusumo and Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib, CEO of the Multimedia Development Corporation (FINAS).

President of MBWP, Khairul Rizam Abu Samah, stated that the partnership seeks to create a more structured Malaysia-Indonesia youth network, particularly in creative industries, technology, and entrepreneurship. According to him, the initiative is not merely an exchange of ideas but a framework to unlock new economic opportunities for Malaysian youth by providing access to markets, investments, technology, and industry networks at the regional and global levels.

The main objective of this collaboration is to establish a youth creative industrial ecosystem in Asean and create a global platform for the entrepreneurial spirit of Malaysian youth in the creative industries, as stated in the official announcement. The partnership focuses on developing talent through practical programs, technical courses, training sessions, intellectual property webinars, and digital media workshops to enhance the skills and professional capabilities of young creative professionals.

MBWP and GeKrafs will also establish a cross-border business platform, exhibitions, hackathons, digital art exhibitions, and creative idea contests to connect young creators with investors and industry players from Malaysia, Indonesia, and other Asean countries. Rika Amelia Rush, Chairman of the DLPN GeKrafs Malaysia, mentioned that the bi-directional collaboration will combine the network of MBWP's young professionals with GeKrafs' creative industry enthusiasts, thereby expanding knowledge sharing, market access, and implementation of joint digital initiatives.

The collaboration also includes the Ekraf Talk, Mini Expo, and Business Matching Indonesia-Malaysia Creative Economy, which highlights opportunities in creative industries, investments, trade, technology, and digitalization. The program also encompasses innovation, micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) development, and entrepreneurship, aiming to become a continuous platform for nurturing Asean creative industry leaders capable of creating economic opportunities, navigating cross-border markets, and elevating Malaysian youth talents to the global stage.