Song Copyright Infringement Through Digital Platforms Between Indonesia and Malaysia: Case Study of The Song Halo-Halo Bandung and Hello Kuala Lumpur

Dina Cynthia Putri; Andriyanto Adhi Nugroho; Muthia Sakti

doi:10.63922/ijevss.v5i03.3602

Dina Cynthia Putri Faculty of Law, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jakarta, Indonesia
Andriyanto Adhi Nugroho Faculty of Law, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jakarta, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0045-5238
Muthia Sakti Faculty of Law, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jakarta, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6387-531X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.63922/ijevss.v5i03.3602

Keywords: Digital Copyright, Cross-Border Infringement, Indonesia-Malaysia Law, Algorithmic Adjudication, Private Ordering.

Abstract

This article examines the legal tensions arising from cross-border digital copyright infringement between Indonesia and Malaysia, centered on the contentious case of the patriotic song “Halo-Halo Bandung” being adapted as “Hello Kuala Lumpur” on YouTube. The evolution of Web 2.0 and the transition toward Web 3.0 ecosystems have fundamentally disrupted traditional intellectual property paradigms, particularly the principle of territoriality. Employing a functional comparative approach, this study analyzes the disparate institutional designs of Indonesia’s Civil Law system—characterized by prescriptive codification and centralized state management—and Malaysia’s Common Law tradition, which prioritizes flexible equitable remedies and privatized royalty governance. The findings reveal a significant “jurisdictional vacuum” in formal cross-border enforcement, where state-led litigation remains largely paralyzed by territorial limitations. Consequently, state authority is being progressively marginalized by the “private ordering” of global platforms. YouTube’s algorithmic adjudication, specifically its automated notice-and-takedown protocols, has emerged as a transborder “pseudo-law” that provides more immediate and effective redress than formal legal channels. The paper concludes by advocating for regional legal harmonization within the ASEAN framework and exploring the potential of Web3 technologies, such as blockchain-based decentralized identifiers and smart contracts, to restore digital sovereignty and ensure equitable intellectual property protection. This research contributes to the global discourse on platform liability and the redefinition of sovereign copyright enforcement in an increasingly borderless digital landscape.

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