The Malaysian Artistes' Association, known as Karyawan, is preparing to present a comprehensive memorandum to the Prime Minister following its Music Practitioners Convention scheduled for Sunday, June 21, at Saloma Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. The initiative reflects growing concerns within the music community about the industry's trajectory and the need for coordinated policy responses to emerging challenges.
Karyawan president Datuk Freddie Fernandez indicated that the resolutions will emerge from deliberations involving more than 200 artistes and music industry professionals expected to participate in the convention. Fernandez highlighted that after two decades of observing the sector, he has identified troubling trends that demand immediate attention and systemic renewal. The convention serves as a crucial gathering point for practitioners to voice concerns and seek clarity on complex issues that continue to perplex stakeholders across the industry.
The memorandum, anticipated to be finalised approximately one week after the convention concludes, will tackle several interconnected domains. These include strategies for sustainable industry development, governance frameworks for artificial intelligence integration, reform of royalty payment mechanisms, enhancement of artiste welfare provisions, strengthening of music education infrastructure, and creation of structured pathways for young professionals entering the field.
Royalty distribution emerged as a particularly acute concern during discussions. The financial disparity between what record companies collect and what reaches artistes' organisations reveals a systemic imbalance requiring urgent intervention. Analysis of available annual reports demonstrates that between 2002 and 2017, record companies accumulated nearly RM700 million in collections, yet disbursed only approximately RM20 million to artistes' bodies—representing less than three percent of revenues collected. This stark gap underscores why practitioners view royalty reform as fundamental to industry sustainability and artiste livelihoods.
The artificial intelligence question presents a different kind of challenge, one that balances technological inevitability with professional protection. Fernandez stressed that the music sector cannot ignore AI's transformative potential, yet the industry requires comprehensive guidelines that protect musicians' interests while enabling innovation. The convention will examine how AI applications—from composition to performance to production—should be regulated to ensure they complement rather than undermine human creativity and employment.
Education and career development represent another pillar of the resolutions. Fernandez emphasised that the music industry must move beyond ad hoc mentorship toward organised systems that provide transparent information, genuine opportunities, and structured pathways enabling young talents to build sustainable careers. Currently, aspiring musicians often lack clear guidance on viable career trajectories, particularly beyond performance roles.
The association is considering recommendations for formal industry legislation and regulatory frameworks alongside proposals for expanded artiste support mechanisms. These could encompass everything from social security provisions to professional development funding to market access initiatives. The goal is to create an ecosystem where musicians can reasonably expect to sustain themselves through their work.
The convention programme features prominent panellists positioned to represent diverse perspectives. Music activist Joe Lee, composer Dr Moja Salim, and Para Rajagopal, managing director of Live Nation, will lead discussions. This combination of grassroots advocates, creative practitioners, and commercial operators should generate substantive debate across the industry value chain.
The timing of this initiative reflects broader anxieties within Malaysia's creative sector about future viability and international competitiveness. As Southeast Asian neighbours develop their music industries through policy support and infrastructure investment, Malaysian practitioners worry that inconsistent governance and unresolved structural issues may constrain local talent development and industry growth. The convention represents an attempt to consolidate industry consensus and present policymakers with concrete, practitioner-endorsed recommendations.
Fernandez's framing of the convention as addressing "unhealthy developments" signals that stakeholders view the status quo as untenable. Whether regarding artiste compensation, working conditions, educational pathways, or technological disruption, practitioners across all segments perceive the current system as insufficiently responsive to emerging realities. The memorandum to be presented to the Prime Minister will essentially constitute the industry's case for systemic intervention.
The convention commences at 10 am on Sunday and will unfold over a single intensive day, suggesting organisers expect focused, substantive engagement rather than cursory participation. The selection of Saloma Restaurant as venue—itself a historically significant cultural space—carries symbolic weight, anchoring contemporary industry concerns to Malaysia's cultural heritage and continuity.
Success will ultimately depend on whether the memorandum receives serious consideration at the highest political levels and translates into tangible policy responses. For Malaysia's music practitioners, the convention represents both an assertion of collective voice and an appeal for institutional support. The resolutions emerging from this gathering may well define the regulatory and support landscape for the local music industry during the coming decade.
