Indonesia and Malaysia Seek Film, Music and Heritage Partnerships

Co-productions and creative industry agreements

Zon urged the two countries to turn their historical, linguistic and cultural connections into practical partnerships. In a statement released Wednesday, he advocated film co-productions that would open more commercial opportunities for filmmakers, with Indonesia's national cultural endowment fund identified as a possible source of financing.

The proposed collaboration extends beyond financing individual productions. It would include developing talent, strengthening regional production networks and helping works from both countries reach international festivals and global markets.

Fahmi said his discussion with Zon covered a possible film cooperation memorandum of understanding and the development of a Nusantara film festival.

Music cooperation also featured in agreements signed elsewhere in Jakarta that day. Malaysia's MyCreative Ventures signed two memoranda of understanding, one with the Jakarta Creative Economy Committee and the other with EnMasse. Fahmi and Indonesian Creative Economy Minister Teuku Riefky Harsya witnessed the signings. Fahmi said the agreements were expected to support closer collaboration and exchanges of creative industry activities, particularly in music.

Coordinating cooperation across ministries

During the same visit, Fahmi proposed establishing a cross-ministerial High-Level Committee with Indonesia to accelerate cooperation in the creative industries and creative economy. He said the committee would help ministries with different portfolios coordinate their work and move discussions more quickly toward initiatives that could be formalized through memoranda of understanding.

Fahmi also called for sustainable financing, good governance and structured talent development in the creative sector. He welcomed opportunities for both people-to-people exchanges and institutional partnerships, and emphasized using digital technology to connect younger audiences with their cultural roots.

Shared heritage and UNESCO recognition

The ministers considered a heritage agenda spanning oral traditions, classical manuscripts and the Jawi script. Their discussions covered preserving spoken traditions, digitizing manuscripts and revitalizing Jawi, the Arabic-based writing system historically used across the archipelago.

They also explored further joint nominations to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage lists. Fahmi pointed to the kebaya's inscription as a precedent for seeking joint recognition of Malay heritage such as Jawi. The traditional women's garment entered UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024 following a nomination by Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore and Thailand.

Indonesia and Malaysia also jointly nominated Pantun, which was inscribed on the Representative List in 2020. The Malay verse form has been used across maritime Southeast Asia for at least 500 years.

Another shared inscription concerns Mak Yong theater. In August 2026, Zon said Indonesia had joined Malaysia through an extended nomination process. Mak Yong was first inscribed in 2008 under Malaysia; Indonesia's participation reflected the performing art's communities in the Riau Islands.

Zon said the cooperation should deliver concrete benefits to the public, including jointly organized Malay cultural festivals and other initiatives serving both countries.