Indonesia To Draft Guidelines After Amsal Sitepu Case

Indonesia to Draft Guidelines after Amsal Sitepu Case

April 4, 2026 7:22 AM . 2 min read

Minister of Creative Economy/Head of the Creative Economy Agency Teuku Riefky Harsya. Picture source: The Ministry of Creative Economy

JAKARTA, Jakartaweekly.com – The Ministry of Creative Economy is currently drafting guidelines that can be used by various parties seeking to engage the services of creative economy practitioners. The move follows a case in which a creative professional was prosecuted due to an auditor’s lack of understanding of how creative work operates.

Minister of Creative Economy/Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Teuku Riefky Harsya, said the guidelines are intended to help regional governments better understand the rules in commissioning work from creative industry players.

“The Ministry of Creative Economy is preparing guidelines that we will disseminate to law enforcement officials, auditors, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Finance, particularly in relation to creative services, which could serve as a reference,” he said in a statement seen on Saturday, April 4, 2026.

He said the ministry is also consulting with the Ministry of Law regarding the form of the guidelines, whether they will be issued as a ministerial decree or a ministerial regulation. Teuku is also considering the possibility of incorporating the guidelines into a Finance Ministry regulation.

The minister met with videographer from Karo, North Sumatera, Amsal Christy Sitepu, in Jakarta on Thursday, April 2, 2026, after his case gained traction on social media. The meeting was part of the ministry’s efforts to open a dialogue and gather input from creative practitioners to ensure that similar legal issues do not occur in the future.

Teuku emphasized that input from creative industry players is a key element in strengthening the ecosystem and providing better protection for those working in the sector.

He said the meeting marked an important step, as the development of Indonesia’s creative industry cannot be separated from the role of its practitioners. Strengthening the creative economy ecosystem in the regions, he added, would help propel it to the international level.

“The government cannot work alone. The involvement of ministries, regional governments, associations, public figures, and creative practitioners is essential as we continue to strengthen Indonesia’s creative industry so it can grow further,” he said.