Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia`s ministry of energy, water, and communications will study a memorandum of the Malaysian Workers Association (Karyawan) calling for a restruction to the playing of Indonesian songs on private radio stations in the country.
Minister Shaziman Abu Mansor said that he would held a meeting with other ministers including minister of culture and arts, and the ministry of broadcasting, to study the relevant regulations, Berita Harian said here Tuesday.
There are now no regulations requiring private radio stations to play more foreign than local songs, Shaziman said after receiving the memorandum from Karyawan`s President Freddie Fernandez, along with song writers M Nasir and Aznan Aliyas at his office in Putrajaya.
Guidelines issued by Malaysia`s Suruhan Kaya Communications and Multimedia Institute to private radio stations were only on language, not foreign songs including Indonesia songs.
"We will try to help the local music industry," the minister said.
Karyawan submitted the memorandum to Shaziman which was signed by the association`s 700 members asking the government to set a quita of 90 percent for local/national songs, and 10 percent for songs of other countries.
However, the association dismissed assumptions that the memorandum was issued because local longs were not as good as foreign ones.
Freddie said the kuota problem were forced to appeal to give local artist more chance and place for them to survive in the local music industry.
"The problem came to the surface because private radio stations are too free to play foreign songs which may affect the identity of listeners," the minister said.
"The reduction of local songs played by private radion station will kill new talents," the minister said.
Source: http://www.antaranews.com (September 10, 2008)