Finas’s standard contract needs industry’s buy-in, says Harith Iskander
Published on: Wednesday, February 14, 2024
By:
FMT, Amirul Aiman
Harith Iskander said standard employment contracts are necessary to ensure industry workers are adequately compensated in accordance with employment law. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: The success of a plan by the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) to implement standard employment contracts to address overtime and other issues among film crew members hinges on the commitment of industry players to the endeavour.
Comedian and actor Harith Iskander called the plan a good move, but said the effectiveness of its implementation ultimately depends on compliance by industry players.
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“At the end of the day, an industry is only an industry if the people involved act professionally.
“And professionalism can only be achieved if the payment, salary or perks given are sufficient for someone to continue working in that industry,” he told FMT.
Harith said standard contracts are needed to ensure industry workers receive adequate compensation in accordance with employment law.
On Feb 1, Finas announced that it would introduce a standard contract for producers, actors and crew members this year to address overtime and other issues affecting the industry.
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Finas CEO Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib said the standard contract will cover salary scales, daily working hours, insurance and Social Security Organisation (Socso) protection.
He said discussions at the top level on the matter have been held over the past year or two and are now at their final stages.
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Finas was previously reported as saying the Perbadanan Kemajuan Filem Nasional Malaysia Act 1981 does not override the Employment Act 1955 (Amendment) 2022 on the issue of working hours.
Its former CEO, Nasir Ibrahim, said at the beginning of last year that as a result, Finas had no authority to address overtime issues affecting the industry.
Zed Zaidi, president of the Malaysian Artistes Association (Seniman), also welcomed the move to introduce the standard contract, saying industry workers have long missed out on EPF and Socso benefits.
To ensure broad benefits and avoid disparities, he said, Finas must also address matters such as fair compensation structures, comprehensive work conditions and inclusivity in opportunities.
Zed said it was important that Finas consistently engage with all stakeholders to ensure workers receive the promised protections.
“Establishing clear guidelines and periodic reviews can help address potential issues and promote a more equitable environment for all employees and film directors, crew, and actors,” he said.
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