KUALA LUMPUR: The Information, Communications and Culture Ministry is in the process of strengthening the existing regulations on television advertisements to ensure a more effective monitoring.

Its deputy minister, Datuk Joseph Salang, said the requirement for advertisements to be issued with the made-in Malaysia (MIM) certificate to be aired on television was still applicable.

"This certificate is only issued for advertisements produced by local advertising producers.

"Foreign-made advertisement can only be used as foreign footage, but should not take more than 30 per cent of the advertisements to be aired," he said when winding-up the debate on the Supply Bill 2013 in the Dewan Negara Thursday.

Salang also said the question of unfair division in the performance slot at Istana Budaya should not arise as the matter had been set, with 70 per cent for local artistes, and the remaining for international artistes, every year.

Salang said performances to staged at Istana Budaya had to comply with the stipulated guidelines, which included of high quality and capable of attracting the crowd.

"Istana Budaya is also impartial on the payment for artistes and the ticket price.

"Payment for the artistes is made through direct negotiation between the artistes concern and the producer, while the high price of tickets involving performance by international artistes is because of the high cost of production and lack of sponsorships," he added. 

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