Copyright Bill: Once Mekel Ensures Regulation More Adaptive to Creative Industry

The Legislative Body (Baleg) of the Indonesian House of Representatives held a Working Committee Meeting on Harmonisation, Completion, and Consolidation of the Draft Bill on Amendments to Law Number 28 of 2014 on Copyright at the Nusantara I Building, Parliamentary Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday, 10 March 2026. The meeting discussed various substantive aspects of the copyright law amendments to ensure regulations more adaptive to the development of the creative industry. The draft bill is also seen as capable of providing legal certainty for stakeholders in Indonesia’s copyright ecosystem.

“As the proponent, we share one spirit that this new law must be better than before, of higher quality, and above all provide benefits for all parties. Both creators, holders of related rights, performers, labels, and the public who utilise these works,” said Member of the House Legislative Body Once Mekel, who is also the proponent of the copyright bill amendments.

According to him, the primary spirit of this law revision is to present regulations of higher quality and provide benefits for all parties involved in the copyright ecosystem. The new law, he continued, is expected to protect the interests of creators, holders of related rights, performers, and record labels, while simultaneously ensuring public access to the utilisation of creative works.

Once also explained that the basic principle of copyright regulation must maintain a balance between protecting creators’ exclusive rights and widespread utilisation of works for the development of arts and culture. For him, copyright has a different character compared to ordinary property ownership, because it is intangible and can be used simultaneously in various places at the same time.

“Many people do not yet understand that copyright is moveable in nature and intangible. Different from physical objects that we can directly claim ownership of. Copyright can be utilised simultaneously in many places at once,” he said.

Because of this character, Once believes the state’s role remains necessary to ensure copyright protection and management runs fairly and transparently. In discussions regarding institutional frameworks, he expressed support for royalty collection and distribution mechanisms to remain conducted through Collective Management Bodies (LMK). These institutions function to collect and distribute royalties to copyright holders.

However, Once emphasised the importance of a supervisory body serving as a regulator to ensure regulatory functions are not concentrated in a single institution. He also believes the division of roles between royalty management bodies and regulatory bodies is important to maintain accountability and prevent excessive concentration of authority.

Once also highlighted the importance of developing a robust digital database system to support the copyright registration process and transparent royalty management. According to him, copyright registration through the LMK can simultaneously serve as the basis for granting authority to that body to manage, collect, and distribute royalties, including taking legal action if copyright infringement occurs by third parties.

He hopes that with a more structured system, the public has a clear single gateway to pay royalties when utilising copyright works, particularly in the realm of performance or performing rights. “Collective management bodies must be the only place the public can rely on to pay royalties and obtain assurance that with such payment they can utilise creative works lawfully,” he said.

Through this law revision, Once hopes to create stronger legal certainty and a more harmonious copyright ecosystem, so that conflicts that have frequently occurred between creators, industry players, and work users can be minimised. Concluding his remarks, proper regulation will encourage the development of creativity whilst strengthening the national creative industry.