Garputala Refuses LMKN Position as the Only Institution to Collect Royalties

Illustration of music royalties (unsplash)

JAKARTA - Dozens of songwriters who call themselves the Public Guard of Songwriters (Garputala) expressed a strong rejection of the existence of the National Collective Management Agency (LMKN).

They even suspected that there was an inappropriate practice by the institution tasked with collecting music royalties. Legal steps were also taken by reporting LMKN to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

The main focus of the report is the freezing of royalty funds of IDR 14 billion collected by one of the Collective Management Institutions (LMK), Wahana Musik Indonesia (WAMI).

Garputala assessed that the existence of LMKN as the sole institution authorized to collect royalties is very vulnerable to abuse of power. They consider the presence of the institution to be contrary to the spirit of Law Number 28 of 2014 concerning Copyright.

For Garputala, the centralization of authority without options for songwriters will only lead to a non-transparent governance.

"We reject the legitimacy of the LMKN. From the beginning we believe that a single institution has the potential to present an arrogant and arbitrary attitude. Authority that is imposed without choice and without accountability always gives birth to the risk of corruption," said a representative of Garputala in his statement, Tuesday, January 6.

The musicians' unease is not without basis. They highlight the background of the LMKN Commissioner who is considered to be less compatible in understanding the intricacies of the music industry in depth.

In addition, the status of commissioners who are selected through the selection committee formed by the Ministry of Law makes them have responsibilities equivalent to state organizers, so that any alleged embezzlement of public and private funds that they manage must be supervised by the KPK.

Based on the data collected, this dispute is rooted in the transfer of royalty funds that are considered illegal from LMK to the LMKN pocket. A fund of Rp. 14 billion that should be immediately distributed to copyright owners is suspected of being held up in the bureaucracy of the institution.

"Our presence at the KPK today is to submit a report on alleged acts of corruption committed by LMKN and related officials. There are around 14 billion rupiah of royalty funds that actually belong to the creators of latu who have changed hands with LMKN," continued the representative.

Garputala emphasized that if this practice continues to be allowed without legal intervention, then the expropriation of the economic rights of songwriters will become an annual cycle that harms the national music ecosystem.

This report is claimed to be carried out objectively without the intention of prematurely condemning any party before an in-depth investigation.

According to them, the report to the KPK was made without prejudice and without a verdict, but rather to ask that the law work objectively and independently.

If there is no violation, the legal process will clear all parties. However, if irregularities are found, the state must not be silent.

"We report the alleged corruption to the KPK because the current LMKN commissioners were appointed through a selection committee (pansel) formed by the Ministry of Law, so that their position is equated with state organizers," he concluded.