Music Authors' Copyright Protection (MACP)

MACP (Music Authors' Copyright Protection Berhad) is Malaysia's non-profit performing rights organization, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Kuala Lumpur. It administers public performance, broadcasting, communication, and digital streaming rights for composers, lyricists, and music publishers. MACP collaborates with over 77 international affiliated organizations across 200 countries to track, collect, and distribute royalties for over 3 million songwriters worldwide.

How MACP Works

MACP operates under the Malaysia Copyright Act 1987, which grants creators exclusive rights to control how their music is publicly performed, broadcast, and streamed. The organization functions as a collective management body that licenses businesses, broadcast stations, and individuals to use copyrighted music, then distributes the collected fees to rights holders.

MACP issues several types of licenses:

• Business licenses: For live and recorded background music in restaurants, lounges, retail stores, gyms, and other commercial settings. Renewed annually.
• Event licenses: For concerts, carnivals, dinners, weddings, and other live music events.
• Online licenses: For websites, social media, streaming services, downloading services, user-generated content platforms, and over-the-top entertainment services.
• Broadcast licenses: For terrestrial and satellite radio and television stations.

Royalty distributions follow three main cycles each year. General performance royalties (from businesses, TV, and radio) collected January through December are distributed in Quarter 3 of the following year. Concert and major event royalties are distributed quarterly. Digital royalties (streaming, downloads, ringtones) are distributed in Quarter 1 and Quarter 4. MACP does not deduct operating costs from royalties received from affiliated organizations.

The minimum payment threshold is RM100 for MACP members and RM1,000 for affiliated organizations. If accumulated royalties fall below the threshold, payment rolls over to the next distribution cycle. Net distributable royalties are calculated after deducting administrative costs, income tax, and SST from gross revenue, as verified by external auditors.

MACP represents over 3 million songwriters globally through its affiliate network. In 2024, MACP reported a nearly twofold increase in public performance licensing revenue, driven by pent-up demand for major live events following the pandemic. The organization revised its membership criteria in April 2024, reducing the requirement from five works to just one work, making it easier for new creators to join and earn royalties from platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and TikTok.

In 2025 and 2026, MACP introduced AI guidelines stating that copyright protection applies only to human-created works. The organization has been proactive in aligning with the Malaysian government's position on AI and copyright, as reinforced by the Communications Minister in March 2026. MACP also faced a Copyright Tribunal decision (Case CTMR2024001) in September 2025 that affirmed its existing standard operating procedures.

Real-World Example

A Malaysian songwriter registers 15 songs with MACP. A Kuala Lumpur radio station plays 8 of those songs in a given year, Spotify reports 300,000 streams of 10 songs, and three Penang restaurants hold annual blanket licenses covering background music. MACP collects royalties from all three sources.

The songwriter receives an annual distribution based on radio airplay logs and streaming usage data. If the same songs are played on radio in Singapore, MACP's affiliate society COMPASS collects those royalties and remits them to MACP, which then distributes them to the songwriter in the next distribution cycle.

A songwriter with 50 songs receiving regular airplay across licensed Malaysian radio stations and streaming platforms might earn anywhere from RM2,000 to RM15,000 annually in performance royalties, depending on the frequency and type of use. Digital royalties from streaming platforms are distributed twice yearly (Q1 and Q4), while radio and general performance royalties are distributed once yearly in Q3.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a Malaysian songwriter, composer, or publisher, MACP membership is the primary way to collect performance royalties for your works. The 2024 membership criteria change means you only need one registered work to join, lowering the barrier significantly for new creators.

Once registered, submit your song registrations with correct split shares and ISRC codes so your works can be matched to usage data. MACP tracks music from radio, television, streaming platforms, live venues, and businesses playing background music. Without MACP, you would need to individually license every entity that plays your music, which is not practical.

For non-Malaysian artists, your home PRO collects from MACP through reciprocal agreements when your music is played in Malaysia. Malaysia has an active music market with growing streaming adoption and a strong live events sector. Ensuring your works are properly registered with ISWC and IPI codes through your local PRO means MACP can identify and pay you for that usage.

MACP's AI guidelines also matter for artists concerned about generative AI. The organization has taken a clear stance that copyright protection applies only to human-created works, aligning with growing international consensus on AI-generated content.

Territory Covered

MACP covers the territory of Malaysia. It is a declared collective management organization under the Malaysia Copyright Act 1987, as declared by the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO). MACP licenses the public performance, broadcasting, communication, and digital streaming of musical works within Malaysian borders. For performances outside Malaysia, MACP relies on its network of over 77 international affiliated organizations to collect royalties on behalf of its members.

How to Join and Membership Fees

MACP membership is free. There is no joining fee and no annual membership fee. In April 2024, MACP revised its membership criteria, reducing the requirement from five works to just one work, making it easier for new creators to join.

Requirements:

• At least one registered musical work (reduced from five works as of April 2024)
• Composer, lyricist, or music publisher status
• Submission of works registration with correct metadata

Applications can be submitted through the MACP member portal at memberportal.macp.com.my. Once accepted, members can register works and begin earning royalties from radio, television, streaming platforms, live venues, and businesses playing background music.

Overhead Rate

MACP recovers its operating costs from revenue collected. Operating costs cover administrative expenses, membership costs, and tax provisions (including SST) incurred in the production of royalty collection and distribution. According to a Copyright Tribunal decision (Case CTMR2024001), digital royalties are distributed after deducting administrative fees of up to 10% and SST. MACP does not deduct operating costs from royalties received from affiliated organizations, meaning international royalties pass through to members at full value. Net distributable royalties are calculated after deducting administrative costs, income tax, and SST from gross revenue, as verified by external auditors.

Royalty Distribution Schedule

MACP follows three main distribution cycles each year:

The minimum payment threshold is RM100 for MACP members and RM1,000 for affiliated organizations. If accumulated royalties fall below the threshold, payment rolls over to the next distribution cycle until the accumulated amount exceeds the threshold.

MACP also distributes Unlogged Performance Allocation (UPA), fixed at RM300 for each participating MACP member, to compensate for performances that could not be individually identified in the analysis.

Reciprocal Agreements

MACP collaborates with over 77 international affiliated organizations across 200 countries to track, collect, and distribute royalties for over 3 million songwriters worldwide. MACP is a member of CISAC (International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers) and BIEM (Bureau International des Societes Gerant les Droits d'Enregistrement et de Reproduction Mecanique).

When a MACP member's music is performed in another country, the local sister society collects royalties and remits them to MACP, which distributes them to the member. For example, if a Malaysian songwriter's music is played on radio in Singapore, COMPASS (Singapore) collects those royalties and remits them to MACP. MACP does not deduct operating costs from royalties received from affiliated organizations.

Notable Members

MACP represents composers, lyricists, and music publishers across Malaysia. Notable members and figures include:

• Dato M. Nasir (composer, MACP Chairman) - named MACP's Highest-Earning Songwriter at the 2025 MACP Awards, defending his title from the previous edition. His classic song "Tiara" won Highest-Earning International Song.
• Datuk Ahmad Izham Omar (Vice Chairman Writer) - prominent Malaysian music industry executive
• Edwin Anand Ananthan (Vice Chairman Writer) - songwriter and composer
• Roger Wang (Vice Chairman Writer) - songwriter and composer
• Johari Teh (composer, lyricist, record producer) - among the most influential Malaysian composers from the 1980s through the 2010s, produced hits for Ziana Zain, Awie, and Ella
• Tan Sri P. Ramlee (late, legendary composer and performer) - MACP member who composed over 250 songs including "Getaran Jiwa" and "Di Mana Kan Ku Cari Ganti"
• Dato' Seri Dr. Ahmad Nawab (late, Nadi Cipta Award recipient) - produced over 200 albums and 400 songs, recognized in The Malaysia Book of Records for "Most Number of Songs Composed"
• Naim Daniel (singer-songwriter, Potential Young Composer Award) - won Anugerah Juara Lagu Ke-34 with his single "Sumpah"

Comparison Table

Videos

Similar PROs

• COMPASS - Singapore's performing rights society, covering a neighboring Southeast Asian market
• FILSCAP - Philippines' performing rights society, another major Southeast Asian PRO
• JACAP - Jamaica's performing rights society, a comparable mid-sized national PRO
• COTT - Trinidad and Tobago's performing rights society, another Caribbean PRO with similar structure

Related Resources

• Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - What a PRO is and how it functions
• Performance Royalties - How performance royalties are generated and collected
• Mechanical Royalties - How mechanical royalties work alongside performance royalties
• Blanket License - The licensing model used by MACP
• CISAC - The international confederation coordinating global royalty collection
• MACP Official Website - Visit MACP for membership and licensing information
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital earnings