KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is taking steps to protect local indigenous artistes' compensation rights over licensing and royalty distribution for all ethnic songs in the Sabah region and in Labuan, says Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.

       The Deputy Chief Minister said the state will prepare a Cabinet paper to endorse Music Rights Sabah (MRS) Bhd as a licensing agency to protect the artistes’ rights, especially in ensuring fair compensation.

       He said the Copyright Act 1987 has never been implemented fairly for Sabah ethnic songs for the past 35 years.

       “Local artistes have long been neglected and their efforts in producing high quality and entertaining ethnic music have not received adequate support in the past 35 years," he said in a statement here.

       “For example, a musician revealed that last year, he only received RM13.57 for one of his hit songs. A peninsula Malaysian artiste would have received at least RM200.

       “It is no surprise then that our most gifted artistes are flocking to the peninsula since they can earn a better price for their music there,” said Kitingan, who met with MRS board members led by its managing director Asmin Mudin on Friday.

       MRS is hoping to get Sabah's endorsement as a licensing body to protect local ethnic artistes’ rights, especially in terms of compensation.