Gekrafs Chairman: Acquittal of Amsal a Breath of Fresh Air for Creative Economy Actors

The Central Leadership Council of the National Creative Economy Movement (DPP Gekrafs) has positively welcomed the decision of the Medan District Court judge to acquit Amsal Sitepu in the village profile video case.

Gekrafs General Chairman, Kawendra Lukistian, stated that the verdict serves as a breath of fresh air for creators who have been working to build narratives, identities, and regional potentials through creative works.

“This decision reaffirms that justice is on the side of truth. This is not only a victory for Amsal Sitepu but also for all actors in Indonesia’s creative economy,” Kawendra said in a written statement on Thursday (2/4).

According to him, Amsal’s acquittal is also a moral victory for creative economy fighters who have felt their profession is often belittled.

Kawendra assessed that the Amsal case serves as an important lesson so that in the future, no creative professions such as videographers, editors, dubbing artists, and concept creators are considered to have no value.

“We must no longer allow ideas, editing, dubbing, cutting, and creativity to be regarded as zero. This decision becomes a momentum for creative professions to be increasingly appreciated and protected,” said Kawendra.

He hopes that Amsal’s acquittal will become a momentum for the resurgence of Indonesia’s creative economy, in line with the message from President Prabowo Subianto, who continues to promote the creative economy as one of the main pillars of national economic growth.

DPP Gekrafs, he said, will continue to oversee the interests of creative economy actors and push for policies that are adaptive to the development of the creative industry in the digital era.

“Mr Prabowo always emphasises that the creative economy is Indonesia’s future. Therefore, the state must be present to protect creative economy fighters, not instead make them afraid to create or afraid to partner with the government,” he said.

Previously, the panel of judges handed down an acquittal verdict for videographer Amsal Christy Sitepu, who was the defendant in a trial at the Medan District Court on Wednesday (1/4).

Amsal was found not guilty of committing mark-up in the production of a village profile video in Karo Regency for the 2020-2022 Fiscal Year, which was alleged to have caused a state loss of Rp202,161,980.