KUALA LUMPUR: As the action film Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan continues to reign at the box office, a collaborator of its director has urged the government to lower entertainment duties.
Asmawi Ani or Mawi, best known for co-starring with Mat Kilau director Syamsul Yusof in Munafik 2, has called on the government to lower entertainment duties from 25 per cent to 15 per cent.
This, he said, would encourage filmmakers to create better content for screening at international film festivals.
"The entertainment duties at 25 per cent today are rather high. It is a burden to produce a cutting-edge film at this rate," said Mawi in an Instagram post yesterday.
Mawi, who is also a singer and radio announcer, added that even though Mat Kilau was "making a kill" at the box office, it might not be able to recoup its RM8 million production costs.
Mawi agreed with Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman who recently suggested on TikTok that entertainment duties be slashed to help kick-start the film industry after two years of battling the Covid-19 pandemic.
Syed Saddiq also suggested that proceeds from ticket sales be channelled into a special fund for the welfare for film crew members.
"It's been a long time since filmmakers have had a lowering of entertainment duties. I believe now is the time to bring 25 per cent down to 15 per cent," said Mawi.
Mawi also suggested that cinema operators and film producers share earnings on a 50/50 basis until the film's run ends.
"As it stands, the cinema operator gets more if the film is screened for an additional week."
Mawi said that the government, cinema operators and film companies should have discussions to arrive at a decision which benefits all parties.
"The filmmakers and cinema operators own businesses and they need to maximise earnings while the government needs tax to provide for the rakyat.
"We have to reach a win-win situation, where the filmmakers get sufficient returns, likewise the cinema operators and the government," said Mawi.