Kota Kinabalu: Upko agreed to pay RM9,280 for licensing payment to use local ethnic songs for its national-level Kaamatan Festival celebration this year, to Music Rights Sabah (MRS) Berhad.
The event is scheduled to take place from May 6-7, at Tun Hamdan Hall, Tamparuli.
On Monday, the payment was decided in a briefing session between Upko and MRS at the latter’s office, here.
The licensing for the use of local ethnic songs includes the use of ethnic songs in various events such as the pageant, singing competitions, fundraising dinner, performances by local artists, open karaoke performances, cultural dance performances, choirs, busking and the use of ethnic songs/music at exhibition and sales stalls.
In a briefing delivered by MRS Single Event Manager Ronney Ajim, the Upko delegation was briefed on the introduction of MRS as a single Collective Management Organisation (CMO) in Sabah, MRS licensing operations and several matters related to the celebration.
In the meantime, MRS Managing Director Asmin Mudin is thankful for Upko’s concern and responsibility in defending the fate of local artists.
“Upko never ceases to play their role in fulfilling the demands and aspirations of the people, especially the local art activists,” said Asmin.
For the record, Upko helped a lot to realise the existence of Music Rights Sabah until it was officially declared. The two Wisdom Foundation Webinar programmes organised by former Upko President Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau, around 2020-2021, are the precursors to the declaration of MRS as a single CMO in Sabah.
The Upko delegation was represented by Carl Mossom (Upko Malaysia Organizing Secretary), Rowindy Lawrence (Upko Malaysia Deputy Organizing Secretary) and Jeffrey Teo (Executive Chairman of Upko Malaysia 2023).
Carl, also the Political Secretary to the Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative Datuk Ewon Benedick, also handed over a book on entrepreneurship programmes published by the Ministry to MRS in the meeting.
