Musicians urge Jakarta to strengthen understanding of song copyright protection

Musician Endah Widiastuti, a member of the duo Endah N Rhesa, has voiced the importance of the government strengthening understanding regarding song copyright protection for music creators in Indonesia. Endah hopes the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government can take concrete steps to provide a sense of security for creators. “Hopefully, there will also be many protections that can be implemented by the government and people who realise the importance of it,” said Endah at the Bundaran HI MRT Station in Jakarta on Sunday. Endah believes that understanding of intellectual property must be evenly spread across all levels of society. “Hopefully, all levels of society understand intellectual property, that intellectual property is something that must be respected,” said Endah. Regarding technical protection, Endah advises every musician to prioritise legality in every collaboration. She stressed the need for a cooperation agreement letter that transparently includes the division of economic and moral rights. According to Endah, Endah N Rhesa, while leading the “Earhouse Song Writing Club” community in Pamulang, South Tangerang, also applies the principle of royalty transparency for community members who have full rights over their creations in a collectively produced mini album in 2022. The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government is expected to provide similar support in developing the music ecosystem through various professional workshops held in the capital. Hopes also came from musicians Adam Maulana and Don Tatmojo, who are part of the Earhop Collective duo from the Earhouse Song Writing Club community. One interested party is the Institut Français d’Indonésie (IFI), which is also organising a music workshop in collaboration with the National Talent Management (MTN) for Music in the Melawai, Blok M area of Jakarta, inviting professional French music activists on 23 June. Guided by French experts Gwendolen Sharp, founder of The Green Room, and Leila Bellot, founder of Fédérap, the workshop sessions focus on environmental transition in the music industry and career development within the French music ecosystem, encouraging exchange and new opportunities for collaboration between France and Indonesia during the World Music Day celebration. The workshop is expected to bridge a two-way assimilation of works between national and international musicians. “If possible, the assimilation should be two-way,” said Adam Maulana. This is hoped to expand the market share of Indonesian music, which is currently considered to have great potential. All musicians hope the music industry environment in Indonesia can become increasingly professional. Awareness of the value of copyright and openness to international collaboration are expected to foster a healthy climate of cooperation for creative economy players.