Jakarta, May 15, 2025 - To commemorate National Book Day, Shopee Indonesia launched “Festival Penulis Lokal”, in partnership with the Ministry of Creative Economy and the Indonesian Publishers Association (IKAPI). This initiative is part of Shopee’s ongoing efforts to promote, support, and protect the works of local authors. Shopee is working closely with local publishers and authors to present curated book selections, offering up to 50% discounts and an extra 10% voucher available on Shopee Pilih Lokal from 15 to 31 May 2025. This campaign is expected to drive public interest in reading and purchasing original books.
Festival Penulis Lokal is a curated campaign on Shopee that showcases a wide selection of original books by local authors. Through the campaign page, Shopee users can easily discover thousands of titles across various categories such as Recommended Books, Bestsellers, Popular Novels, New Releases, and more. The initiative aims to improve access to authentic local books while reigniting the reading culture in Indonesia.
Irene Umar, Deputy Minister of Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia, expressed her appreciation for Shopee’s initiative in supporting and protecting the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of local writers. “We thank Shopee for providing both space and protection for local authors through this festival. As one of the major book distribution platforms, Shopee helps authors protect their copyrights. Indonesia is not just a market, but we also have valuable export potential through the creative economy. Moving forward, let’s unite our efforts so more Indonesian books can be exported, and let’s stop buying pirated books,” Irene stated.
Shopee’s Active Role in Protecting Local Authors’ Works
A panel discussion was also held during the event, discussing joint efforts to combat book piracy and create a healthy ecosystem for the local book industry. The event was attended by dozens of publishers and local authors.
Balques Manisang, Deputy Director of Government Relations at Shopee Indonesia, reaffirmed Shopee’s commitment to strengthening protection for local writers. “Through the Festival Penulis Lokal, we want to show our full support in promoting and protecting the works of Indonesian writers via Shopee’s digital ecosystem. We’ve developed a one-stop platform called Brand IP Portal, which publishers and authors can use to register their books. This database helps us verify listings and detect pirated books being sold. Fighting piracy certainly requires collaborative effort from writers, publishers, and book lovers alike.”
Arys Hilman Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association (IKAPI), also expressed strong support for Shopee’s initiative. “As an association representing over 2,700 publishers, IKAPI is fully committed to promoting copyright protection as a fundamental pillar of a healthy and sustainable creative industry. However, collaboration across all stakeholders is essential. We hope Shopee’s initiative sets an example for others so we can collectively build a thriving publishing industry.”
Representatives from Gramedia and bestselling author Henry Manampiring also voiced their support during the festival launch. Through this event, Shopee also announced a range of new features and programs to protect books from local authors.
Bestseller author, Henry Manampiring, shared his thoughts on the future of the book industry. “For writers, the highest form of appreciation is when readers value our work, starting with the simple act of buying original books. Combatting book piracy, however, requires strategic collaboration between the government, the private sector, industry players, and the public. That’s why I truly support Shopee’s effort to clean up online book distribution.”
