#SHOWBIZ: Artistes can help fellow creatives in need, says association

PERSATUAN Seniman Malaysia (Seniman) is exploring a new initiative to assist needy artistes and crew members in the creative industry.

The proposal involves collecting the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) aid from artistes who don’t require it and redistributing the funds to those in greater need.

Seniman president Zed Zaidi said that the association needs time to research the feasibility of the plan, as the Sara aid was only recently distributed.

The process of understanding the aid’s distribution mechanism is still underway, and the association must address potential technical and legal issues.

Zed emphasised the importance of obtaining artistes’ consent to use their personal information and identity cards (MyKad) for the programme, ensuring that the initiative complies with all legal requirements.

The president hopes to have a clear implementation mechanism soon, saying, “If it can be implemented, it is a good initiative to help the arts workers who are in greater need.”

Some artistes have already expressed their support for the idea.

Actress Anzalna Nasir confirmed that she has not used the RM100 she received and intends to donate both her and her husband’s shares, totalling RM200, to those more deserving.

Singer Aina Abdul, on the other hand, chose to use her aid for her family, purchasing household necessities for her mother.

The Sara aid, a one-off payment of RM100, was announced by the government to ease the burden of living costs.

It was made available to more than 22 million residents and can be used at over 4,100 participating businesses until Dec 31, 2025.

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

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