I refer to your report entitled Levy on imported films to support local market , in which Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Rais Yatim proposed to impose a levy on foreign films.

It is not exactly very cheap to go to the cinemas to see foreign films at the moment, even without any levy on the said films.

With the increase in cost for seeing a foreign film, along with increase in prices of fuel, food and other goods, I can safely conclude that Malaysian consumers are going to react as follow:

  1. For those who only see foreign films: See less films in cinema, increase purchase of illegal DVDs.

  • For those who do see some local movies at the cinema: Cut down existing budget for local films to nil and channel them to budget for foreign films. Then purchase illegal DVDs of local films.

    • Looks like the illegal DVD industry is looking at an impending windfall.