Malaysia's Efforts To Claim Reog Must Be Prevented, Muhaimin: Our Ancestors Not Just Randomly Create Culture

Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar

JAKARTA - The House of Representatives (DPR) leadership has asked the government to act quickly to immediately submit Reog as an Indonesian cultural heritage to UNESCO. The problem is, Malaysia is also rumored to be doing the same thing.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Coordinator for People's Welfare (Korkesra) Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar, said Malaysia's plan must be prevented immediately. Malaysia must not claim the origin of Indonesia's original culture such as Reog.

Reog Ponorogo is a traditional performing art of the Ponorogo people in which there are elements of warok, jatil, bujangganong, kelanasewandana, and barongan dancers. The dance is accompanied by a set of typical Ponoragan Reog accompaniment instruments consisting of drums, kempul (gong), kethuk-kenong, slompret, tipung, and angklung.

"Malaysia's attempts to claim Reog must be blocked. Malaysia cannot claim Reog because this is indeed our culture. In fact, this case often happens, I think the government should be more firm," said Gus Muhaimin in his press statement as quoted from Parliament, Thursday, April 7.

Gus Muhaimin also urged the government to immediately make an inventory and determine the classification of indigenous Indonesian culture. According to him, it is very important to take steps to prevent claims from other countries from happening again.

"After being inventoried, I asked to be registered with UNESCO immediately," he said.

The culture of the ancestral heritage of the archipelago must be maintained and preserved by all nations. The government as a policy maker, he said, has an obligation to keep it from being annexed by other countries.

"Our ancestors did not haphazardly create culture and traditions. We can be in harmony as we are now because of the cultures they inherited to us. So don't take it lightly, and let's make culture the Commander in Chief," he said.

The politician from the National Awakening Party (PKB) emphasized that Reog as an original Indonesian culture should be promoted to the international world so that it is better known and not easily claimed by other countries.

"We should promote Reog to the international world on a large scale that Reog is the original cultural heritage of Indonesian ancestors. The government must facilitate this," said Gus Muhaimin.

Indonesia already has Law (UU) Number 5 of 2017 concerning the Advancement of Culture. With this law, the government's spirit to protect, develop and foster national culture can be stronger.

"Pak Jokowi has often reminded the strategic role of national culture in development, there is a balance between hard infrastructure and soft infrastructure in the form of character and national identity developed through cultural means," he said.

The Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Muhadjir Effendy supports the Reog Ponorogo art to become a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (WBTB) or UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Reog Ponorogo was previously registered as an Indonesian Intangible Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbud Ristek) in 2013.

Muhadjir has asked the Ponorogo Regency Government to immediately prepare the necessary data related to the proposal to UNESCO. Moreover, Malaysia is currently planning to submit the same art to the institution.

"For Reog, the Malaysian state is also planning to propose, therefore we must go first. Because this has become our culture and heritage," he said.

The Regent of Ponorogo, Sugiri Sancoko, in a selection interview with UNESCO, has given an explanation regarding the use of peacock feathers and tiger skin in this art. The peacock feathers, he said, were not removed but indeed within a certain time the peacock feathers separated from the peacock's body.

Then a dozen years ago using tiger skin has now been replaced with goat skin which is formatted like tiger skin. If these two things have been answered and convinced UNESCO, said Giri, Reog Ponorogo will qualify as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Sugiri added that his party will continue to try and work hard so that the world will recognize Reog Ponorogo. He also expressed his gratitude for the support of the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture to Reog Ponorogo.