The Malaysian Artistes’ Association (Karyawan) is seeking to be made a party to judicial review proceedings initiated by three collective management organisations (CMOs) challenging a new regulatory framework expected to take effect next year.
In a statement, Karyawan president Freddie Fernandez said the association had instructed its lawyers to file applications to intervene in two separate judicial review actions seeking to quash the Copyright (Collective Management Organisations) Guidelines 2025.
“The guidelines stemmed from years of complaints by music authors, singers and composers who felt their voices were not being heard in the management of royalty collection and distribution.
“We have instructed our lawyers to file an intervener application on our behalf to support the government’s guidelines, as they will finally give us a voice in determining how royalty-collecting bodies should be managed,” he said.
Fernandez reiterated the association’s full support for the guidelines, introduced by the domestic trade and cost of living ministry, which aim to establish a more equitable and transparent royalty collection system for the benefit of composers, singers and musicians.
On July 1, the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted leave to two CMOs – Public Performance Malaysia Bhd (PPM) and Recording Performers Malaysia Bhd (RPM) – to commence judicial review proceedings over the guidelines.
The court also fixed Aug 7 to hear the application by PPM and RPM to stay the enforcement of the guidelines pending the disposal of the lawsuit.
The two CMOs named the controller of copyright, MyIPO, and the domestic trade and cost of living minister as respondents in their application.
They claim the guidelines – scheduled to come into force on Jan 16, 2026 – were drawn up and issued by the respondents without proper consultation.
They also alleged the guidelines contain provisions that exceeded the powers vested by law in the controller.
On July 10, Music Authors Copyright Protection Bhd (MACP) was also granted leave by the High Court to commence a judicial review over the same guidelines.
Justice Amarjeet Singh, who also presided over PPM and RPM’s case, fixed Aug 19 to hear MACP’s application to stay the enforcement of the guidelines pending the disposal of the lawsuit.
