Rasa Sayange song

(Picture taken from : www.seasite.niu.edu)

The issue about the Malaysia who use the folklore song “Rasa sayange” as their theme song for tourism in Malaysia is being a hot topic in Indonesia this few weeks. Many of Indonesian people feel that their right of the song has been hijack by the Malaysian because they use the Maluku’s folklore song without permission.

There is a skeptical feeling that growth in Indonesian people maybe the Malaysian is trying to steal the rights of “Rasa sayange” song, they has tried it for batik, and angklung so what stopping them to get the “Rasa sayange” song too. So to prevent it many artists and the people of Indonesia in their own way try to fight for the right of “Rasa sayange” song.

It is true that in Indonesia the awareness for the claims of copyrights is still very low. It is very regrettable and it make it easy for another country (especially the one who said to have many similar culture and art with Indonesia) to claims the copyright and authority of many Indonesian culture and art as their own and discard Indonesia rights.

Semy Toisutta as the head of Maluku’s culture, aware that the writer of the song identity is unknown (NN à No Name) again it is because the low rate of Indonesian awareness to the importance of copyright claim. But he also said that the Rasa sayange song has been a Maluku’s folklore songs since centuries. The evidence is in the lyric it self the “e” letter behind “Rasa Sayange” is a characteristic of Maluku’s dialect not a Malay dialect. The song used by Maluku’s people in their community party since long time ago.

Hatta Rahardja as Indonesia nation secretary minister said “That we should not make it as a problem” about Malaysia who use Rasa sayange song. But for many people in Indonesia it is a problem, because they are trying to use something that is part of our culture to attract people to go tourism to their country (which I sure will make a lot of devise money for them) without our permission. Although they only use the melody with a small change lyric but it is still the “Rasa Sayange” melody song. And this in my point of view is equals to stealing. A foreign country is stealing from our country and Hatta Rahardja said that this is not a problem!! How come??

Fortunately this issue brings a great awareness to artist and some people in the government of Indonesia about the important things of copyrights claiming authority. Jero Wacik the minister of culture and tourism of Indonesia even said that he will be ready to help Indonesian artist to make the claims of copyright for Indonesian artist invention so in the future this kind of things won’t be happening again. I do hope that Indonesian people will continue to be aware of the importance of copyright so there won’t be another country who tries to steal the cultural richness of Indonesia. We have to be aware that our culture is priceless and we have to protect it so no one can steal our rights again.