Malaysia calls for IP to be recognized as a bankable asset
27 October 2026
Malaysia has urged the global creative economy to recognize intellectual property as a bankable asset and to establish clear frameworks for the responsible use of artificial intelligence, as part of three proposals aimed at strengthening the sector.
Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil outlined the proposals during the Ministerial Meeting of the Fifth World Conference on Creative Economy (WCCE) in Indonesia on October 22. He also called for creative skills development alongside digital training and safeguards to ensure that human creators remain central to AI-assisted creative work.
Fahmi identified three priority areas for international cooperation: co-productions to attract investment, develop local talent and expand the global reach of creative content; exchanges and joint training programmes to strengthen collaboration among creative professionals; and the sharing of data and measurement methods to better capture the sector’s contributions to employment, income and economic growth.
He noted that creative enterprises often provide production services while IP ownership and its commercial value remain elsewhere. Businesses whose primary assets are intangible also face difficulties securing financing, while generative AI raises concerns over copyright, fair remuneration and cultural authenticity.
To address these challenges, Malaysia is seeking to move up the value chain from content production to IP ownership and commercialization. The Ministry of Communications and its agencies have introduced co-production funds and matching grants, strengthened talent development, and are developing national policies for film and music.
Under the Thirteenth Malaysia Plan (2026–2030), the orange economy has been identified as a new growth driver. Malaysia’s cultural and creative industries contributed 6.8 percent of gross domestic product in 2024, generated RM63 billion (US$15.4 billion) in exports of creative products and supported more than 760,000 jobs.
Fahmi also announced the establishment of the Orange Economy Council, which will oversee the country’s creative ecosystem, including film, music, animation, games and esports. The council will advise the government on sector planning, implementation and monitoring, with industry representatives participating in the process.
He commended Indonesia for launching the WCCE in Bali in 2018, noting that Malaysia welcomed the opportunity to participate in the ministerial meeting for the first time and explore further cooperation with Indonesia and other participating countries.
- Asia IP
