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PETALING JAYA: Director of locally-produced Chinese movie Ice Kacang Puppy Love Tan Kheng Seong will soon be receiving a RM740,000 tax rebate for the award-winning movie.

His manager Lai Sook Peng confirmed that the director had received a letter from the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) stating his eligibility to claim the 20% entertainment tax rebate within the next three months.

“This is truly a blessing, especially as it comes during the Chinese New Year season,” said Tan, popularly known as Ah Niu.

He added that the move would prove beneficial for the development of the local film industry.

It had been reported earlier that the movie, which was a box-office hit after raking in RM3.7mil, would not enjoy the entertainment tax rebate as it had been classified as a foreign movie.

Previously, locally-produced movies were considered “foreign” unless 60% of their dialogue was in Bahasa Malaysia.

Tan attended a press conference held by Wanita MCA vice-chairman Heng Seai Kie yesterday along with several other local film directors who had been offered the tax rebate.

Two other movies released last year, Tiger Woohoo and Lelio Popo, had also been recognised as local movies.

“We have estimated the tax rebate for the three movies to be almost RM2mil,” said Heng.

With the term “local movie” redefined, Heng said local productions in other languages would enjoy the same privileges as Malay movies, such as compulsory two-week screening at cinemas and tax rebates.

Heng said local productions would now be considered “local movies” as long as at least half the film was produced in Malaysia and at least 51% of the movie rights were owned by Malaysians.

The Cabinet last week had agreed in principle to give an entertainment tax rebate to several top locally-produced movies. - theStar