The organiser of the 2011 Artistes Day and the Information, Communication and Culture Ministry should not be blamed for the lukewarm response from arts activists to the event held last May 29.

Persatuan Karyawan Malaysia deputy president Radhi Khalid said arts activists should realise that the event was organised in appreciation of their contributions in the entertainment industry.

"Many are not aware of the Artistes Day. Perhaps, it is because the artists themselves do not appreciate it. So when there is no participation, the objective of organising the event cannot be achieved," he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Radhi said the ministry's effort should be appreciated, but if the arts activists themselves had no initiative to get involve, the blame should not be placed on the organiser or the ministry.

"It is supposed to be the day for us, not only to enjoy, but a beneficial one if we socialise wisely, get more contacts and make more friends," he added.

Certain quarters are blaming the ministry for the lack of promotion, which was why many arts activists were not aware of the Artistes Day, introduced by former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2005.

RM100 million allocated for event

They belittled the efforts by the ministry, which allocated RM100 million for the event, and by the Malaysian Artistes Association (Seniman), which prepared a working paper for the purpose, regarding the event as a "instant noodle project".

Radhi said there is a need for arts activists to change their attitude and mindset if the entertainment industry is to remain relevant.

"But we will see a different response for events like award night, Oscar night, Malaysian Film Festival, etc. This mentality has to change," he added.

He said today's film industry had evolved since 10 years ago through concerted efforts between the ministry and the film makers association.

The industry was now capable of generating income and contributing towards making Malaysia a high-income country, he added.

Last year, when tabling the Budget 2011, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak announced a RM200 million allocation for the purchase of creative products, such as high-quality locally-produced films, dramas and documentaries.

- Bernama

Only RM100,000 used for Artistes Day