SUBANG JAYA, March 14- The legendary actress, Datuk Dr. Sarimah Ahmad, has finally ended her 36-year wait to regain ownership of her four films, thanks to the efforts of the Ministry of Communications and the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (FINAS).
The films in question are: Dia Ibuku, Jejak Bertapak, Kabus Tengah Hari, and Detik 12 Malam.
These films were previously handed over to a production company under a screening agreement in 1989.
Deputy Minister of Communications, Teo Nie Ching, stated that the company holding the film materials had submitted copies in hard disk drive (HDD) format to FINAS for restoration purposes.
"This allows for the copies of the films to be returned to Sarimah in the future. It is also part of the effort to restore our national artistic heritage," she said at the Ziarah Seni MADANI FINAS program at the residence of the actress's child today.
Meanwhile, Sarimah expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for being the catalyst in the effort to return her work's ownership.
"I would like to thank especially the MADANI Government, particularly the Prime Minister as I cannot repay his kindness; only Allah can repay his kindness," she said with deep gratitude.
In the same program, Sarimah also received recognition through the Ziarah Seni MADANI FINAS initiative, making her the first recipient among 100 artists who will receive assistance this year.
According to Nie Ching, the program is not only a mark of respect for Sarimah's contributions to the film industry but also aims to alleviate the burden she faced after suffering from colon cancer in 2022.
"This is the first program in conjunction with Ramadan and also in celebration of International Women's Day, as we want to give the highest appreciation and recognition to the female artistic figures of our country.
"At the same time, we bring a small contribution from FINAS and also from my office.
"We hope Sarimah recovers quickly and remains healthy and long-lived," she added.
Last year, 49 artists received assistance through this program as part of the government's ongoing efforts to safeguard the welfare of artists.