Latest news with #FIMI
Barnama
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Barnama
Malaysia Strengthens Position As Regional Filming Hub Through FIMI
By Norhidayyu Zainal KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 (Bernama) -- Malaysia continues to cement its status as a leading regional hub for film production, successfully attracting foreign creative investments through the Film in Malaysia Incentive (FIMI), which is creating jobs and upskilling the local workforce. National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib revealed that among the latest international productions to benefit from FIMI is the upcoming television series Lord of the Flies, produced by Sony Pictures and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The series was filmed in Langkawi, Kedah, at the end of last year. 'The production brought in more than 30 child actors from overseas, accompanied by parents and tutors, and rented a major hotel in Langkawi for nearly five months. 'In accordance with FIMI's requirements, the production also employed a significant number of local crew members,' he told Bernama in a recent interview. He said the initiative was made possible through a partnership between FINAS and the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), which provided basic film production courses to workers from the tourism sector. To further enhance local participation, Azmir announced that, starting next year, the minimum quota for local crew involvement in foreign productions will increase from 30 to 40 per cent. 'This move will not only create more job opportunities for Malaysians, but also accelerate skills development by exposing local talent to international production standards,' he remarked.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Malaysia strengthens position as regional filming hub through FIMI
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia continues to cement its status as a leading regional hub for film production, successfully attracting foreign creative investments through the Film in Malaysia Incentive (FIMI), which is creating jobs and upskilling the local workforce. National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib revealed that among the latest international productions to benefit from FIMI is the upcoming television series Lord of the Flies, produced by Sony Pictures and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The series was filmed in Langkawi, Kedah, at the end of last year. 'The production brought in more than 30 child actors from overseas, accompanied by parents and tutors, and rented a major hotel in Langkawi for nearly five months. 'In accordance with FIMI's requirements, the production also employed a significant number of local crew members,' he told Bernama in a recent interview. He said the initiative was made possible through a partnership between FINAS and the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), which provided basic film production courses to workers from the tourism sector. To further enhance local participation, Azmir announced that, starting next year, the minimum quota for local crew involvement in foreign productions will increase from 30 to 40 per cent. 'This move will not only create more job opportunities for Malaysians, but also accelerate skills development by exposing local talent to international production standards,' he remarked. Since the introduction of FIMI in 2013, a total of 128 productions have been approved, including 76 local and 52 international projects, with over RM419 million in rebates disbursed and direct investments totalling RM2.71 billion. Despite regional competition from countries like Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, Azmir remains confident in Malaysia's unique advantages. 'A skilled English-speaking workforce, economic stability, and an efficient permit approval process via the Central Agency for Application of Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (PUSPAL) are among the valued-added factors for the country being the preferred filming destination. 'Malaysia offers attractive locations, cost-efficiency, and a production-friendly environment. More importantly, we are building a complete ecosystem - from talent training and modern tech usage to post-production,' he said. To amplify FIMI's global visibility, Azmir said FINAS is also preparing to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tourism Malaysia, which, among others, aims to position film not just as an entertainment product but also as a tourism promotion tool. 'This partnership will promote Malaysia as a filming destination while showcasing our tourism offerings to global audiences through movies shot here. 'Upcoming efforts include organising a Malaysia Film Week overseas, with one slated to be held in Beijing this August, led by FINAS chairman Datuk Hans Isaac,' he said. Azmir said FINAS is also expanding international cooperation, including recent initiatives with China in conjunction with the Chinese President Xi Jinping's official visit to Malaysia last month. Similar talks are underway with India and Indonesia. 'Our vision is for Malaysia to evolve into a regional hub not only for filming locations but also for film education and technology in the next five years. 'We want Malaysian crew to go international, local post-production companies to create content for Southeast Asia markets, and more local universities to become professional training centres for the
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Malaysia strengthens position as regional filming hub
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia continues to cement its status as a leading regional hub for film production, successfully attracting foreign creative investments through the Film in Malaysia Incentive (FIMI), which is creating jobs and upskilling the local workforce. National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib revealed that among the latest international productions to benefit from FIMI is the upcoming television series Lord of the Flies, produced by Sony Pictures and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The series was filmed in Langkawi, Kedah, at the end of last year. 'The production brought in more than 30 child actors from overseas, accompanied by parents and tutors, and rented a major hotel in Langkawi for nearly five months. 'In accordance with FIMI's requirements, the production also employed a significant number of local crew members,' he told Bernama in a recent interview. He said the initiative was made possible through a partnership between FINAS and the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), which provided basic film production courses to workers from the tourism sector. To further enhance local participation, Azmir announced that, starting next year, the minimum quota for local crew involvement in foreign productions will increase from 30 to 40 per cent. 'This move will not only create more job opportunities for Malaysians, but also accelerate skills development by exposing local talent to international production standards,' he remarked. Since the introduction of FIMI in 2013, a total of 128 productions have been approved, including 76 local and 52 international projects, with over RM419 million in rebates disbursed and direct investments totalling RM2.71 billion. Despite regional competition from countries like Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, Azmir remains confident in Malaysia's unique advantages. 'A skilled English-speaking workforce, economic stability, and an efficient permit approval process via the Central Agency for Application of Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (PUSPAL) are among the valued-added factors for the country being the preferred filming destination. 'Malaysia offers attractive locations, cost-efficiency, and a production-friendly environment. More importantly, we are building a complete ecosystem - from talent training and modern tech usage to post-production,' he said. To amplify FIMI's global visibility, Azmir said FINAS is also preparing to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tourism Malaysia, which, among others, aims to position film not just as an entertainment product but also as a tourism promotion tool. 'This partnership will promote Malaysia as a filming destination while showcasing our tourism offerings to global audiences through movies shot here. 'Upcoming efforts include organising a Malaysia Film Week overseas, with one slated to be held in Beijing this August, led by FINAS chairman Datuk Hans Isaac,' he said. Azmir said FINAS is also expanding international cooperation, including recent initiatives with China in conjunction with the Chinese President Xi Jinping's official visit to Malaysia last month. Similar talks are underway with India and Indonesia. 'Our vision is for Malaysia to evolve into a regional hub not only for filming locations but also for film education and technology in the next five years. 'We want Malaysian crew to go international, local post-production companies to create content for Southeast Asia markets, and more local universities to become professional training centres for the
The Hindu
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Centre to wield quality control ‘stick' to drive exports
The Indian government is not keen on providing further subsidies to export-oriented sectors of the economy, according to a senior government official. Instead, the government is going to follow a more 'carrot and stick' approach where quality control orders (QCOs) are going to increasingly be used to push Indian industry to become internationally competitive, while all non-subsidy help will be provided to them in terms of land acquisition and other regulatory hurdles. 'The government has taken a call that just giving subsidies has not really worked in boosting India's exports,' the official said. 'There is an issue with the quality of the product as well. That's why we are now focussing on QCOs to ensure that our exports meet the minimum quality standards.' 'The government is not inclined to provide more subsidies to sectors than it already has,' the official added. 'But all the non-subsidy help that we can provide will be provided, like easing land acquisition, or any other regulatory issues they come to us with.' However, The Hindu has also learnt that the issue of providing subsidies for the production of rare earth batteries in India has come up for discussion in the government, in light of the supply crunch due to China banning the export of these products. QCOs are regulations that state that products manufactured, imported, sold in India, or manufactured for exports, must meet minimum quality standards as laid out by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). As of March 2025, various central ministries had notified a total of 187 QCOs covering 769 products. There has been a debate in India on whether QCOs are helping or hurting. According to the government, including Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, QCOs are the path to enhancing India's export competitiveness. However, Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery has said that QCOs are a 'malign intervention' to stop imports from certain countries, but that would actually end up hurting India's MSMEs. The government has provided some relief for certain export categories that rely on inputs from abroad. 'To ensure competitiveness of Indian exporters, exemptions from mandatory QCOs are available for imports intended for export production under specific schemes, such as advance authorisations, by export oriented units (EOUs), and in Special Economic Zones (SEZs),' the Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita said in a reply to the Lok Sabha in March 2025. The government's stance on subsidies runs against what some industries have been demanding. The Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI), for example, on Tuesday released a report in which it called for an upfront subsidy of ₹10,000-15,000 per kWh on the purchase of alternate fuel Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM) for mining applications. 'One of the primary barriers to e-truck adoption is their high upfront cost, with electric trucks and other HEMMs currently priced at nearly three times that of their diesel counterparts,' FIMI noted in its report. 'Such price disparity discourages potential buyers.'
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Adoption of cleaner trucks can reduce diesel use in mining by 30%, emissions by 25%: FIMI
New Delhi: Switching to cleaner fuels such as electric vehicles (EVs), liquefied natural gas (LNG), and biodiesel in India's mining sector could reduce emissions by up to 25 per cent and diesel consumption by 30 per cent , according to a study by the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI). The study highlights the potential of alternative vehicle technologies in reducing environmental impact in non-coal mineral extraction and handling operations. The report, prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Mines and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), assesses the adoption of low-emission heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) for bulk material movement in mining. The recommendations are based on site assessments conducted at 10 non-coal mining locations across Odisha, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh, covering over 12,500 hours of equipment operation. The study suggests a phased adoption of technologies like LNG trucks, hybrid electric retrofits, and off-highway battery electric vehicles (BEVs) over a five-year roadmap. 'Cleaner vehicle adoption in mining offers a clear opportunity to decarbonise the sector while improving air quality and reducing fossil fuel reliance,' said FIMI officials during the report release. In its analysis, FIMI found that diesel is the dominant fuel in mining logistics, contributing significantly to sectoral emissions. Mining contributes 10 per cent of India's industrial CO₂ emissions, with diesel accounting for over 95 per cent of fuel use in load and haul operations. Across major commodities like limestone, iron ore, bauxite, and manganese, bulk movement relies heavily on 60- to 100-tonne heavy-duty trucks, with operating lifecycles extending up to 15 years. 'Targeted replacement of ageing diesel fleets with low-emission vehicles like LNG or electric trucks can reduce tailpipe emissions, cut operational costs, and support India's net-zero goals,' the report noted. Hybrid retrofits, where electric drivetrains are installed in diesel trucks, can serve as an intermediary technology, especially in areas with limited charging infrastructure. The roadmap recommends LNG trucks for long-haul operations and BEVs for short-haul material movement within mines. It also highlights the feasibility of running BEVs and hybrids in round-the-clock operations by leveraging battery swapping and regenerative braking technologies. The study notes that upfront capital costs, infrastructure gaps, and technology readiness are current barriers, but adds that total cost of ownership (TCO) for cleaner vehicles is expected to fall with scale, policy incentives, and growing availability of local manufacturing. It proposes pilot projects to be initiated within a year, with full-scale roll-out of cleaner trucks in the sector by 2029. The adoption model includes a combination of retrofit kits, new OEM vehicles, and public-private infrastructure partnerships for LNG refuelling and EV charging. FIMI also called for inclusion of mining logistics in India's National Electric Mobility Mission and access to FAME or PLI-linked incentives to help fleet operators offset transition costs.
