Following the recently concluded MACP 26th AGM, a MACP delegation led by Pn Habsah Hassan had a fruitful meeting with YBhg Dato Shamsiah Kamaruddin, Director General, Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) and her senior officers at MyIPO office. MACP was also represented by directors Datuk M Nasir, En Ad Samad, En Johan Nawawi and General Manager, Ms Chan Miew Lan.

At the meeting, Pn Habsah raised the members’ concerns regarding the Government’s involvement in the proposed NewCo to centralize the licensing activities of the current 4 Licensing Bodies in Malaysia.

Dato Shamsiah reiterated Government’s initiative to set up the NewCo was to resolve the long outstanding issue of royalty collections faced by both music users and stakeholders. She envisaged that by having a single invoice, the rights and revenue from royalty payment to rights holders will be better managed and will receive support from commercial music users. She also assured MACP that the Government will not be involved in the operations of the NewCo as the CEO will be appointed by the NewCo Board. She further explained that the Government appointed Chairman is an interim measure to unite the 4 Licensing Bodies besides acting as a facilitator between the Government and music users. The Government appointee Chairman will be for an initial term of 2 years as after that period, the current issues will be resolved and the NewCo Board can then appoint their own Chairman.

With the assurances received, Pn Habsah who is also the Chairman of the NewCo Protem Committee will work closely with the other Licensing Bodies and MyIPO to meet the target set by YB Dato’ Seri Hamzah b Zainuddin, Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism.