Dozens of Songwriters Report LMKN to the KPK

KPK (Illustration from VOI)

JAKARTA - The controversy over the distribution of music royalties in Indonesia has entered a new phase that is getting hotter. Around 60 songwriters expressed their dissatisfaction with the performance of the National Collective Management Agency (LMKN).

The songwriters who are members of the Public Guard of Songwriters (Garputala) also visited the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to report the alleged irregularities committed by LMKN.

Led by Ali Akbar, they brought evidence related to the blockage of the flow of royalty funds worth Rp. 14 billion which should have been in the pockets of songwriters since the end of 2025.

This question arose after the alleged unilateral freezing by LMKN of funds that had been collected by the Collective Management Institution (LMK).

Ali Akbar explained that the root of the problem began with the digital royalty collection mechanism carried out by Wahana Musik Indonesia (WAMI).

As an LMK that has a digital infrastructure system, WAMI collects royalties to be distributed to other LMKs, such as KCI (Indonesian Creative Works) or RAI (Indonesian Award Royalties). However, the flow of funds stopped in the middle of the road.

"WAMI collects other LMKs that can't collect (digitally). Well, they (other LMKs) don't accept money, they ask. The LMKs will definitely ask, for example, like KCI or RAI will ask WAMI, 'Eh, when are you going to come?' That's it. Then answered, 'Oh, I didn't bring the money, it was taken by LMKN, because it was taken by LMKN'. It must be noisy," said Ali Akbar to the media at the KPK Building, Kuningan, South Jakarta, Tuesday, January 6.

The suspicion is further strengthened by the claim regarding the request for 'fees' or service fees by the LMKN accompanied by administrative pressure.

Ali Akbar revealed that there was an element of coercion in the collection of the Rp. 14 billion fund. According to him, if the funds were not handed over, LMKN threatened to freeze the operational permit of the LMK concerned.

"Fee. The term is fee, he has to ask for it. If you don't give it, even the LMK will be frozen. Well, there is a threat. So ask for Rp. 14 billion with a threat. If WAMI does not want to surrender, does not want to give it, then the operation will be frozen," said Ali.

"And it has indeed been frozen until today, even though the money has been given. So WAMI gave because it was pressured. But until today it is still frozen. Why is it frozen? Because he wants to seize the system used by WAMI. WAMI's system to connect with the digital platform is to be seized," he added.

Garputala assessed that the existence of LMKN at this time is actually a burden on the national music ecosystem because it is considered to have no technical capacity in billing but wants to control the financial flow. Ali considers that LMKN's intervention has exceeded its supposed authority.

"WAMI can charge a lot, LMKN can't charge, believe me. How many employees does he have? He doesn't have a collector, he doesn't have a system to charge. The system alone doesn't have it," said Ali.

"This LMKN, I have a song, I give power to WAMI, KCI, RAI. Those who have the obligation to collect are LMK. But now it is forcibly taken by him who does not have the authority according to the law. Force him to use PP and Permen," he concluded.

The report has now been given to the KPK's public complaints section for further follow-up to find light on the fate of the economic rights of songwriters in the country.