Aris Ariwatan Urges Artists to Protect Copyright and Avoid Losing Ownership
KUALA LUMPUR: Copyright awareness remains a critical issue in Malaysia’s music industry, as many earlier creators did not retain full ownership of their works.
Singer and president of the Persatuan Pencipta, Pelaku dan Penerbit Muzik Malaysia, Aris Ariwatan, stressed that artists must be more mindful of ownership rights to avoid long-term losses.
He explained that since the entry of international record labels in the 1960s, many agreements resulted in copyright ownership being transferred to record companies.
Success Without Ownership
Aris noted that this has left many creators unable to fully benefit from the continued success of their works.
He emphasised that local creations should remain under the ownership of their original creators so that royalty income is not diverted elsewhere.
He warned against celebrating success without securing ownership rights.
Pathways to Reclaim Ownership
To address the issue, Aris suggested introducing policies that allow copyright to revert to creators after a certain period.
He also encouraged artists to follow examples such as Taylor Swift, who re-recorded her earlier works to regain ownership.
Such strategies, he said, show that creators still have options to regain control.
Industry Unity Remains a Challenge
However, Aris acknowledged that a lack of unity among industry players remains a key obstacle.
He said only a small group of artists are actively committed to the cause, while others are comfortable maintaining the status quo.
This makes collective efforts to strengthen copyright protection more difficult.
Knowledge as Protection
Aris advised younger artists to equip themselves with knowledge on copyright and ownership.
He stressed that talent alone is insufficient without a clear understanding of legal and ownership matters.
With proper awareness, he said, creators can safeguard their work and secure long-term benefits.
-wilayah.com.my
