Ministry of Law and Human Rights Reminds Parties of Royalty Payment Obligations for Ramadan Religious Music

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Law and Human Rights has reminded all parties that any performance of songs for commercial purposes in public spaces must respect the economic rights of creators by paying royalties in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. The Director of Copyright and Industrial Design at the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DJKI) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Agung Damarsasongko, affirmed that the use of religious songs in commercial areas has legal consequences. “We urge business actors, from shopping centres and hotels to digital platforms, to ensure that the playing of religious songs is done in a way that respects the economic rights of the creators. This is a form of appreciation for the musicians who have created the works,” said Agung in a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Tuesday. With the holy month of Ramadan approaching, he said, religious songs are once again being played in various shopping centres, hotels, restaurants and cafes as background music for people’s activities. Agung acknowledged that this annual phenomenon also contributes to the growth of religious music in Indonesia. Works by musicians such as Opick, Bimbo and Maher Zain are often chosen to create a peaceful atmosphere in the lead-up to the breaking of the fast. He said that religious music has become an integral part of the Ramadan tradition in commercial spaces. He explained that, based on Law Number 28 of 2014 on Copyright and Government Regulation Number 56 of 2021 on the Management of Copyright Royalties for Songs and/or Music, any commercial use of songs in public services is categorised as a public performance, which requires the payment of royalties through the National Collective Management Agency (LMKN). “This system is designed to make it easier for businesses by using a one-stop scheme, so that music users do not have to contact each creator separately,” he said. To fulfil this obligation, he said that business actors can access the official website of the LMKN and choose the appropriate licence category according to their type of business. Next, business actors can fill out a licence application form by completing the business data and the planned use of the music. After the verification process, he added, the LMKN will issue a proforma invoice as the basis for royalty payments. Once the payment has been made, Agung said that business actors will receive a licence certificate as proof of the legal use of the songs for commercial purposes. He urged business actors to compile and keep a list of songs (log sheet) that are played in order to support the accurate, transparent and targeted distribution of royalties to the entitled creators. The DJKI invites all business actors to use the momentum of Ramadan as an opportunity to strengthen legal awareness in the field of intellectual property. By respecting and fulfilling royalty obligations properly, he said, business actors also contribute to the sustainability of the national music industry and ensure that creators continue to receive fair compensation for their works that enliven the atmosphere of the holy month. Copyright © ANTARA 2026 It is strictly prohibited to take content, crawl or automatically index for AI on this website without written permission from the ANTARA News Agency.