Once Mekel Pushes for the Implementation of a One-Door Royalty System in the Revision of the Copyright Law

Once Mekel (right) with the leadership of the DPR RI (doc. Ist)

JAKARTA - Once Mekel, a musician and member of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives, is fighting for a big step in the Indonesian music ecosystem.

The former vocalist of Dewa 19 wants the revision of Law Number 28 of 2014 concerning Copyright to be able to answer various problems that often haunt creative people, not least regarding the challenges of digital disruption that are increasingly massive.

The DPR has officially designated this revision as a draft law (RUU). This step was taken because the current regulations are considered to be behind by the development of technology and the dynamics of the global creative industry.

Once emphasized, the current draft is still dynamic and open to public input. He ensured that the legislative process would be inclusive before it was later enacted into a mature legal product.

"If there are still deficiencies in this draft, the door to improvement is open in the next stage of discussion. We want to ensure that this legal product is really mature before it is passed," said Once through a press release received by VOI, Wednesday, March 18.

The main focus of this revision, said Once, is to simplify the royalty governance through a one-stop system. He proposed that the Collective Management Institution (LMK) be the only official platform that manages the collection and distribution of royalties, with strict supervision by the National Collective Management Committee (KMKN).

This system is designed to provide convenience for users of works, such as hotel and cafe entrepreneurs, as well as event organizers.

This is because, until now, business actors have often complained about the complicated and layered administrative procedures in fulfilling their royalty obligations.

"We want to create a system that makes it easier for all parties. Users of works get legal certainty with simple access, while creators get their economic rights in a transparent and targeted manner," said Once.

Based on the constitutional mechanism, the draft bill will be sent to the President to obtain a Presidential Letter (Surpres). Furthermore, the government will compile a Problem Inventory List (DIM) as the basis for the First Level Discussion with the DPR RI Legislation Agency (Baleg).

Once hopes that the presence of this one-stop system will not only increase transparency, but also increase the level of compliance with royalty payments in Indonesia.

"Collective management institutions must be the only reliable platform for the public to pay royalties and get assurances that with the payment they can legally use the creation," he concluded.