Child Performers in the Entertainment Industry: An Analysis from the Employment Regulations Perspective

• Main Authors: Nurzihan, Mohammad Udin, Murshamshul Kamariah, Musa, Zuhairah Ariff, Abd Ghadas, Mohd Shahril Nizam, Md Radzi
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: K Law (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/1227/1/FH03-FUHA-18-12091.pdf; http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/1227/

Children as performers have been exploited for their likability, their innocence and their ability to generate income. Child stars who enter the entertainment industry at a young age are often robbed off their normal childhood and being transformed into money-making machines for their parents and managers and wooed enthusiastically by fans as celebrities throughout history. From the employment law perspectives, child performers are child labours requiring particular care and protection as many aspects of the workplace or their work activities represent a potential level of risk which are higher for children than adults‘ performers. International Labour Convention and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) provide guidelines as to appropriate measure to protect children in workplace. Developed countries which are hubs for entertainment such as Canada, USA and UK have specific rules imposed for the rights of the children in the entertainment industry. This article looks into whether Malaysia has any legal framework to regulate the employment of children in the entertainment industry. This article adopts doctrinal legal research which is based on precedent and statutory analysis.