Ondel-ondel Ngamen Was Highlighted Again, Considered Disturbing Because It Was A Guise Of Begging

ILLUSTRATION / Ondel-ondel (DOK. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Jakarta Satpol PP has again highlighted the ondel-ondel busking on the streets of Jakarta. Head of Satpol PP DKI Arifin thinks that the ondel-ondel busking is currently disturbing the public.

According to Arifin, many residents use these Betawi cultural heritage costumes to busk. However, they seem to be begging because they don't emphasize their art.

"We can see that there are a lot of conditions on the streets and even into residential areas, these ondel-ondel are used for busking. But the impression is like begging," said Arifin when contacted, Wednesday, March 24.

Arifin said that the increasing number of ondel-ondel begging was troubling the public. Many residents complained about the presence of ondel-ondel begging while passing through their village.

"The ondel-ondel was pushed, the other two begged, nothing was presented in an art form that the public could possibly enjoy," he continued.

Therefore, Satpol PP DKI will prohibit ondel-ondel from roaming the capital. However, Arifin did not want to impose sanctions. Satpol PP will carry out the education first.

"We prioritize education. When there is ondel-ondel, of course we will get the data, where does it stay, where does it get ondel-ondel from. We also propose that there are regulations that prohibit begging," he said.

One day the ondel-ondel buskers in Jakarta became anxious for a long time. In fact, since Joko Widodo and Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) became Governor and Deputy Governor of DKI, the existence of ondel-ondel singers has been banned.

The reason is that the use of a Betawi cultural icon doll for busking is considered to be an embarrassment to the face of Jakarta. Mostly, a group of people with ondel-ondel attributes, song accompaniments, and money containers offered to the public do not pay attention to the characteristics of Betawi music and clothing.

So, at that time the DKI Provincial Government made Regional Regulation (Perda) Number 8 of 2007 concerning Public Order as an excuse to curb those who use ondel-ondel as a means of "begging".

However, this restlessness arose again in the leadership of DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan. There are still street singers under the guise of ondel-ondel.