JP/3/Royalty

Foundation to sue one music royalty evader

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Creative Acts Foundation (YKCI), which collects royalties from consumers, will soon sue a businessman in the entertainment industry for refusing to pay music royalties.

Staffers at the foundation revealed the plan to city councilors during a hearing yesterday.

"We pledge our full support for the foundation's plan. Since the law on copyrights was issued in 1982 and reviewed in 1987, none of the music users for commercial purposes have been brought to trial for failing to pay up," said MH Ritonga, Chairman of the City Council.

The staff members of the foundation, however, refused to reveal the identity of the businessman to inquisitive reporters.

"We are ready to swing our samurai on the (royalty) evader this time," said YCKI's General Manager Candra Darusman.

Under the existing copyright law, the businessman faces a maximum Rp 100 million (US$46,950) fine or two to seven years in jail.

The visit by the foundation's management to the City Council yesterday appeared rather unusual. As an agency which operates on the national level, it should have held a hearing with the House of Representatives, and not a provincial legislative assembly like the City Council.

"We are here to share views concerning our problem with the city councilors. Further, the majority of royalty payers live here (in Jakarta)," said Enteng.

Also present at the hearing was Mrs. Ritonga, in her capacity as president director of the Indonesian Music Foundation (YMI).

Ismail Marzuki

Candra, who is also a noted musician, said the foundation was established in 1990 as a non-profit mediator between composers, both local and foreign, and music users for commercial purposes.

Concerning music users for commercial purposes, the foundation targets any profit-making enterprise which uses music as part of their product, including pubs, discos, hotels, restaurants, theaters, etc.

There are reportedly between 2,000 and 3,000 such businesses in the capital.

As one of the legally recognized representatives of composers, the foundation held rights to collect royalties for 19,000 local songs and around 1 million foreign numbers.

Candra said the figure of royalty the foundation collected rises steadily every year.

In 1992, a mere 20 percent of music users here paid their dues, while in 1993, the percentage rose to 50.

The foundation's income in Jakarta alone rose from Rp 400 million ($187,775) in 1991, to Rp 800 million in 1992 and Rp 1.1 billion last year.

The foundation also maintains branches in Bandung and Surabaya, but so far both are far from being full-fledged foundations.

Candra said the five-biggest royalty recipients in 1993 were the heirs of the late Ismail Marzuki, Arianto, Rinto Harahap, Tito Sumarsono and Mochtar B, a dang-dut music composer.

"The heirs of Ismail Marzuki obtained Rp 9 million from the YKCI last year," said Candra. (jsk)