Menbud Fadli Zon: Composer's Rights are Dead, Government is Committed to Resolving the Copyright Controversy for Music

Menbud Fadli Zon's attitude is firm in defending the copyright of composers (Dok. Kemenbud)

JAKARTA - The controversy regarding music copyright continues to roll even starting to hit back the position of songwriters to the government's attention. Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, emphasized his attitude towards this problem.

Fadli emphasized that the composer is the original owner (first owner) of the work. This means that any regulation must not reduce the private rights of the composer.

The statement was made by Menbud Fadli during the 2026 National Congress of Composers of All Indonesia, which was held by the Ministry of Culture together with the Association of Composers of All Indonesia (AKSI) in Jakarta, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. This forum brings together composers from various regions to discuss the governance of copyright and the direction of improvement of the national music ecosystem.

"Music is an important part of the advancement of national culture. So of course we strongly support this congress as part of efforts to create a good and fair music ecosystem," said Fadli in an official statement, March 4.

He associated the strengthening of the music ecosystem with the mandate of Article 32 paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution and Law Number 5 of 2017 concerning the Promotion of Culture. That art, including music, has a cultural and economic dimension.

Menbud Fadli also said that the controversy over the position of creators in music governance had been going on for a long time and had become a common autocriticism. The Ministry of Culture, he said, would provide input in discussing copyright regulations to find a fair solution for all parties, namely creators, singers, producers, labels, and related actors.

"Songwriters basically have full rights to their songs, this is common sense that we have to sit down together," he said.

Piyu as the Chairman of AKSI said the congress was born from "collective anxiety" over inequality in the music industry. He said that since July 3, 2023, AKSI has been fighting for copyright protection in performances, including direct licenses and the right to determine the mandate for the management of works.

"We want to ensure that no more songs ring out on stage without legal certainty and the proper appreciation for their creators," said Piyu.

Chairman of the AKSI Board of Trustees Ahmad Dhani emphasized that this issue cannot be negotiated. "The composer's right is a dead price. This struggle is not for a part, but to ensure justice for all songwriters," he said.

The peak of the congress was marked by the reading and signing of the National Composer Resolution Charter by Menbud Fadli and AKSI. The contents include: a declaration of the sovereignty of the exclusive rights of creators as a private right; confirmation of the authority of collective management institutions limited by the Copyright Law; and encouragement for the establishment of a collective management institution for music performances that works on the basis of the explicit mandate of the creator, not as a rights holder.

This event was attended by, among others, the Director General of Intellectual Property of the Ministry of Law, Hermansyah Siregar, the Deputy for Creativity of the Ministry of Creative Economy, Agustini Rahayu, as well as the AKSI and Ministry of Culture.