Piyu's Response When LMKN Was Reported to the KPK

Piyu (Ivan Two Putra/VOI)

JAKARTA - PADI Reborn band guitarist and Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Composers (AKSI), Piyu, gave a relaxed response regarding the steps of the Public Guard of Song Creators (Garputala) who reported the National Collective Management Institution (LMKN) to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

As is known, the report was triggered by alleged violations of the Copyright Law as well as the controversy over the freezing of royalties worth Rp14 billion.

Piyu assessed that the emergence of reports and criticism from members of the public showed that there was a systemic problem in the management of royalties in Indonesia that could no longer be ignored.

The owner of the full name Satriyo Yudi Wahono stated that the movement carried out by Garputala showed collective anxiety outside the organization he led.

Piyu views this phenomenon as a signal that the demand for improving the royalty regulation is no longer the desire of a few people, but an urgent need of various elements.

He emphasized that this dynamic must be responded to seriously in order to create a more transparent and fair music ecosystem for songwriters who have felt that their economic rights have not been distributed optimally.

"Yes, I see that there are indeed impulses from various other aspects of society, other aspects of society that are outside of us, outside of AKSI. That indicates that there is indeed a dynamic that must be considered," said Piyu when met in Tomang, West Jakarta, recently.

Although Piyu did not explicitly express support or rejection of the report of the LMKN to the anti-corruption agency, he emphasized the importance of continuity of inter-organizational action for the profession to achieve a major goal, namely the total reform of the rules of the distribution of royalties in the country.

On the other hand, Garputala explicitly urged that LMKN be dissolved because it was considered to hinder the process of distributing royalties which should be the authority of the Collective Management Agency (LMK).

The issue of the Rp14 billion fund that was said to be "held" by LMKN became the main trigger for the anger of songwriters who felt that the current bureaucracy was actually making it difficult for them to get rights to their own works.

Piyu explained that currently the political process in parliament is still ongoing, where the fate of the management of royalties is being discussed, so the composers are still in a position to wait for a formal decision.

"So from us, we are waiting and we also ask for a deadline. If it is possible now, it is still in the stage of internal discussion from the factions, we are asked to wait," explained Piyu.

Regarding the report to the KPK, the LMKN through Commissioner Ahmad Fahmi Ali explained that the collective authority of royalties was entirely in their hands in accordance with the applicable regulations.

"Because it is the LMKN who has the right and authority to manage all of that based on the applicable laws and regulations," said Fahmi.