Learning from the Amsal Sitepu Case: Indonesia's Creative Industry Needs a System, Not Just a Hobby
Indonesia’s creative industry is often viewed as a sector brimming with talent and brilliant ideas. However, behind the sparkle of creativity lies significant challenges that prevent it from becoming a main pillar of the national economy. Serial entrepreneur and strategic architect Renaldy Pujiansyah assesses that the fundamental problem with this industry lies in the absence of a solid system.
Renaldy, who has extensive experience in building businesses across sectors from media to digital distribution, sees that Indonesia’s great potential has not been maximally converted. According to him, many industry players still operate without clear structures, making them vulnerable to various operational and social constraints.
The phenomenon of systemic weakness, according to Renaldy, is once again reflected in various cases that have recently been widely discussed by the public, including the one involving the figure of Amsal Sitepu. For him, such cases are not merely individual issues but alarms for the entire creative industry ecosystem.
“The problem is not with the person, but with the system that has not yet been formed. Every time there is a case, the public focuses on who is at fault. But if looked at more deeply, this is a problem of an immature system,” emphasised the man familiarly called Renald firmly in a recent discussion.
He identifies three main risks haunting creative industry players due to the lack of clear structure: inconsistent narratives, limited distribution, and unsustainable monetisation.
Renaldy emphasises a fundamental mistake in positioning the creative industry. So far, creativity has often been treated merely as an expression or hobby, not as a professional industrial system. As a result, works are often not maximally distributed, narratives are inconsistent, and monetisation is not sustainable.
“Creativity has no ceiling. What limits it is not the idea, but how we manage it,” he said. He compares it to the commodity industry, which has relatively stable prices yet supports the economy. According to him, the creative industry, whose value is unlimited, should have far greater potential if supported by the right distribution and monetisation systems.
Looking ahead, Renaldy sees great opportunities for Indonesia to enter the creative export phase. In this phase, Indonesia not only sends physical goods to the global market but also ideas, content, and cultural values packaged strategically.
To achieve this vision, he formulates three main pillars that must be addressed: professionalisation of creativity, effective distribution systems, and sustainable monetisation strategies.
“This is no longer about local or national. The creative industry will be a global competition arena, and Indonesia has all the capital to play at that level,” Renaldy concluded.
For him, the future of Indonesia’s creative industry is no longer determined by how creative the ideas are, but by how seriously this industry is managed systematically.