Malaysia proposes high-level committee with Indonesia to boost creative industry ties

JAKARTA, Oct 21 — Malaysia has proposed the formation of a cross-ministerial High-Level Committee (HLC) with Indonesia, aimed at expediting bilateral cooperation in the creative industries and economy. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced that the committee would facilitate discussions on collaborative initiatives, which could be formalized through memoranda of understanding (MoUs), as several ministerial portfolios in Indonesia fall under the jurisdiction of Malaysia’s Communications Ministry.

The HLC would also help coordinate cooperation across different ministerial portfolios. During a bilateral meeting with Indonesian Creative Economy Minister Teuku Riefky Harsya, Fahmi spoke about the signing of two MoUs between Malaysia's MyCreative Ventures and Indonesian entities, Jakarta Creative Economy Committee and EnMasse.

The agreements are expected to strengthen collaboration and the exchange of creative industry activities, particularly in music and related sectors. Fahmi also met with Indonesian Culture Minister Fadli Zon, discussing potential cooperation in the film industry, including the development of a Nusantara film festival and seeking international recognition for Malay cultural heritage, such as the Jawi script.