Yogyakarta's new publishers offer alternative debate<\/p>\n
Bambang M., The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Despite the scorching sun, many students hunt down books in
\nShopping, a popular book market in Yogyakarta. If you are an avid
\nreader or a book collector, you will be surprised that new books
\ncan be found there every day.<\/p>\n
Since the reform movement kicked off, the country's book
\nindustry, including in Yogyakarta, has undergone tremendous
\nchange. Books once banned can now easily be found in the market.<\/p>\n
\"This is a positive development since it opens up much
\ninformation and offers alternative public discourse,\" said Arie
\nSujito, a lecturer at Gadjah Mada University's School of Social
\nand Political Sciences.<\/p>\n
Just like a drop of water in a desert, books offering
\nalternative discourse always sell out, opening up new business
\nopportunities and encouraging the emergence of new publishers.<\/p>\n
Yogyakarta has witnessed a growing number of new publishers
\nlike Terawang, Jendela, Sumbu, Qalam, Kreasi Wacana, Lappera,
\nJalaSutra, Fajar Pustaka Baru, IRCiSod, Galang Press, Gelombang
\nPasang, Pustaka Kendi, Ikon and Mata Bangsa. The year 1999 marked
\na peak in the emergence of new publishers in this city.<\/p>\n
\"Now, maybe there's some 60 publishers (in Yogyakarta),\" said
\nAde Ma'ruf, manager of Jendela Publisher, which was set up in
\nlate 1999.<\/p>\n
Exact data on publishers is not available, but the
\nYogyakarta's Indonesian Publishers Association (Ikapi) only has
\n37 members registered. Buldanul Khuri, owner of Bentang publisher
\nand one of the Alternative Publishers Association's initiators,
\nestimated around 40 to 50 new publishers emerged in the city
\nafter the reform era started.<\/p>\n
But some publishers have simply \"vanished\" after publishing
\nseveral books. Still, the tendency shows the increasing number of
\nnew publishers. Ade estimates that three to four new publishers
\nemerge every month.<\/p>\n
With the growing number of publishers, competition is getting
\ntough.<\/p>\n
Apart from supplying books in Yogyakarta, the books are also
\ndistributed throughout the country. For Gramedia, Indonesia's
\nlargest publisher, the emergence of new distributors is not
\nexactly a problem.<\/p>\n
\"They (the new publishers) are still at the trial and error
\nstage while we have much experience in selling marketable books
\nto the public,\" said Anton W. Kamandoko, manager of Gramedia
\nbookstore on Jl. Sudirman, Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Though maybe the number of book publishers in Yogyakarta is
\nstill fewer than in other big cities like Jakarta, Yogyakarta's
\nbook publishers carefully select the books to be published.<\/p>\n
\"They are more creative in choosing materials for books to be
\npublished,\" said Sasongko Iswandaru, staff member of Ikapi
\nsecretariat in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
They, for instance, publish books on alternative discourse,
\nlike Pemogokan Massa (Mass Strike) by Rosa Luxemburg (Gelombang
\nPasang publisher), Melawan Imperialisme (Fighting Imperialism) by
\nAllan Wood (Sumbu), Revolusi Indonesia (Indonesian Revolution) by
\nDN Aidit (Oesaha Terbitan Radja Minyak), Islam Borjuis dan Islam
\nProletar (Bourgeoisie Islam and Proletarian Islam) by Nur Kholik
\nRidwan (Galang Press) and many more.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of books are published every month.<\/p>\n
\"The phenomenon (growing number of publishers) is similar to
\nthat experienced by newspapers. Very fast. In the end, what was
\npublished yesterday will be just like old books simply because
\nthere's plenty of new books being published today,\" said Edi AH
\nIyubenu, owner of IRCiSod, which publishes three book titles per
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
The publishers also pay attention to artistic and attractive
\ncover designs.<\/p>\n
\"A book cover is considered a medium of expression, it's not
\njust to protect or decorate a book,\" Sumbo Tinarbuko, an expert
\non visual communications design of Yogyakarta's Indonesian Arts
\nInstitute, said in a catalog of a recent fine art exhibition.<\/p>\n
Some of the new publishers are young people, former student
\nactivists who recently graduated.<\/p>\n
\"We know what books youngsters are interested in,\" said Ade, a
\nformer student at Yogyakarta State University.<\/p>\n
As for Ashad Kusuma Djaja of Kreasi Wacana, there's another
\nreason. \"In Yogyakarta there are scores, thousands of students,
\nso the market is clear,\" said Ashad, an alumnus of Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity's School of Psychology.<\/p>\n
Another reason for the emergence of new publishers is
\nfinancial assistance from the Ford Foundation.<\/p>\n
According to Ade, if all requirements are met, the Ford
\nFoundation will cover some 80 percent of production costs for a
\nbook title. With the help of the Ford Foundation, Jendela could
\npublish eight titles. The publisher now has two printing
\nmachines.<\/p>\n
Buldanur Khuri, however, said that the majority of new book
\npublishers in Yogyakarta did not receive aid from the Ford
\nFoundation. Some publishers were set up simply out of idealism or
\nas a means of self-expression.<\/p>\n
Sumbu publisher, which publishes many books with a
\nrevolutionary theme, has never received aid. \"We obviously refuse
\nsuch aid,\" said Akif Abdul Wahid, Sumbu founder.<\/p>\n
Idealism should not necessarily be against material gain.
\nOften, titles that have only 1,500 or 2,000 copies printed can be
\nreprinted several times. Religious Socialism by Kreasi Wacana,
\nfor instance, has been printed five times.<\/p>\n
\"In our shop, 70 percent of the books are from new publishers
\nin Yogyakarta,\" said Anto W. Kamandoko.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Lastri, a shop attendant at the Social Agency kiosk
\nat Shopping, said she could sell three or four such books. \"This
\nis only from one kiosk,\" she said, adding that Social Agency had
\nsix kiosks in the book market.<\/p>\n
However, books published by new publishers in Yogyakarta are
\nnot without fault. Translated books, which are mostly published
\nwithout permits from copyright holders, are of very poor quality.<\/p>\n
\"It's one of our problems. If a permit is obtained, it would
\nincrease production costs because it means we would have to pay
\nroyalties. Our biggest problem is money,\" Ade Ma'ruf said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/yogyakartas-new-publishers-offer-alternative-debate-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}