Last Friday The Jakarta Post’s headline stunned me. I even read the article twice and took the newspaper (my office newspaper) home to share with others. What an unbelievable story, Malaysian music industry wants Indonesian songs restricted. Actually, I heard the rumor like a year ago, when blog community heated by Indonesian referee’s tragedy in Kuala Lumpur. But, I never imagine that this song-restricted gossip will officially be headline news in our national newspaper.
Let me quote the article here, “The association of Malaysian music industry employees, Karyawan, has demanded the local authority limit the number of Indonesian songs on radio broadcasts. The association planned to propose to the Malaysian Minister of Energy, Water and Communications Minister, Shaziman Abu Mansor, a broadcasting ratio of 90 percent Malaysian songs and 10 percent Indonesian.”
What a pathetic move by the humiliating association. They didn’t even play beautifully, blatantly admitted that playing too many Indonesian songs by radio station hurts the Malaysian music industry. Even, Malaysian (ex) rock star Amy Search said radio stations would turn Malaysia into Jakarta every night by playing Indonesian songs until dawn (I can’t stand to laugh out loud). I personally think he should put the “search” off his name and start to put it as a verb to (real) “search” an inspiration to create new songs (modern ones please) to compete the Indonesian songs. Hate to admit that I still remember his old pathetic song lyric, Isabella adalah….
Let’s imagine an analogy that our government bans American songs. All radio and tv station will only broadcast dangdut song. Awful? For me who not enjoy dangdut much, it will be definitely awful. The second doubt then how can they do it? Fine the radio and tv station who broadcast the song? Create new department to monitor the radio and tv stations? Our experience showed when our Communication and Information Minister banned Fitna movie, the You Tube got hanged because of overload traffic to see the movie.
I am so curious what the Malaysian Minister’s reaction to the proposal. Although as a country Malaysia may ban anything for internal sake, the reaction will show their confident level. I think the association of Malaysian music industry employees already hopeless with their capability to compose easy listening and acceptable music so that they proposed the last ridiculous policy to their minister (can’t wipe my gleeful smile off). Hopefully, I will witness we beat this idiot neighbor not only in music but also in GDP.
September 11, 2008 pada 11:43 pm
I still remember there was a TV program called “Titian Muhibah” that presented Indonesian and Malaysian singers and musicians performing on the same stage. This program was broadcasted by TVRI and TV3 in 1980s and it was one of the most favorite musical programs at that time (since there was only one TV station in Indonesia…).
Since the “sweet” collaboration (or even long time before), I think singers & musicians from the two countries took the different path. Indonesian musician get into the fast track along with the world music industries. While in Malaysia, musicians have not enough freedom to bloom their creativity, thanks to the Malaysia Government for the intervention (such no long hair for male musicians and so on)
Beside the development of commercial music business in Indonesia, there were so many award and appreciation on Indonesian music in many events and festivals around the world. Hetty Koes Endang with Adjie Bandi’s Damai Tapi Gersang in WPSF Tokyo 1977, Rafika Duri in WPSF Tokyo in 1978, Harvey Malaiholo in the same festival in 1982, Trie Utami in The Golden Stag International Singing Contest Brasov, Rumania 1991, Ruth Sahanaya ini 1992 Midnight Sun Song Festival Finland, AB Three in Voice of Asia, Kazakstan (1996), Gita Gutawa in The 6th International Nile Children Song Festival (INCSF) in Cairo, Egypt 2008.
Recently, Indonesia reached more prestigious awards in The World Choir Games in Graz Austria. Totally the country grabbed 24 medals beating Germany and USA. Thanks to Mr. Elfa Secioria with his Elfa’s Singer that won two Grand Prix for Popular Choral Music and Jazz – open category. That’s the fifth times they became the Olympic champ after Olympic 2000 in Linz, Austria, Olympic 2002 in Busan, Korea, Grado Italy in 2004, and The 4th World Choir Games in Xiamen China in 2006.
Watch their victory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C55AMKmuV4Y, see their performance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heF1hIY_soU, and see their preparation for the latest Olympic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq74zjOtdMk.
So folks, don’t worry about our neighbor jealousy, people in rest of the world still appreciate our music objectively. Keep going, guys!
(Sorry Li, for the very long comment. Happy belated Birthday Dear).
~Jp~
September 12, 2008 pada 5:28 pm
Thanks mba Jup,
Sorry your comment got queued since I set moderation for comment with more than 2 links cited, too many spams currently
September 22, 2008 pada 11:30 pm
Hemm,, menurut saya itu bagus, bagus sekali, dan kita jgn membalas dgn cara yg sama. Kenapa? ,
1.dengan mereka menutup diri justru akan semakin melemah kan kreasi mereka dalam bermusik dan berkarya.
2. we are keep welcome dengan lagu dan musisi mereka agar musisi kita lebih terpacu, kompetitif dan terasah, mencari lahan lain selain malaysia, yg lebih menguntungkan. mungkin suatu saat musisi dan lagu2 kita meraja di jepang, vietnam,kamboja, brunei, bahkan mungkin sampai ke middle east.
3.secara moral dan kreasi membutikan kpd dunia karya kita lebih hebat dari mereka, dan dimata dunia akan lebih di hargai.
4.memaksa para musisi dan lagu2 kita (yg sedang terlena karena sudah terkenal dll) utk melakukan perhelatan akbar jgn hanya terkondisi kan utk di malaysia, secara paksa dipacu di visi-kan lebih jauh lagi.
Bravo untuk musisi dan lagu2 indonesia.
salam hangat,
teguheka@gmail.com
September 23, 2008 pada 10:40 am
Hi Lili .. mampir nih di blog Lily ..
pas topiknya cucok ..
Jadi inget beberapa saat lalu waktu maen ke Malaysia, berasa benar kalau Malaysia itu deman kesenian Indonesia (bukan cuma lagu-lagu). Misalnya waktu jalan di sepanjang KL Center, aku dengar lagu Samson dan beberapa lagu Indonesia lainnya diputar disana. Lalu ketika jalan ke KL Tower, disana ada Gamelan Jawa yang dimainkan oleh personel asli Malaysia. Rupanya Gamelan Jawa sudah menjadi pertunjukan tetap waktu itu disana. Antara bangga dan khawatir, kalau-kalau di-claim sebagai original Malaysia. Penasaran aku tanya sama pemainnya, alat musik ini disebutnya apa dan dari mana asalnya? Untunglah jawaban cukup menenangkan, “Ini namanya Gamelan, asalnya dari Jawa Indonesia”. Alhamdulillah .. lega aku hihi
Btw sayang Lily nggak ikut buka puasa bareng kita kemarin ya, ada Devy, Shinta, Ica dan Kak Budi. Kalo Lily ikut pasti tambah seru. Aku link blog Lily ke blog ku ya.
Met puasa …
http://diajengany.blogspot.com
September 23, 2008 pada 11:18 pm
Iya Ni, waktu itu sudah bilang Devy kalau bisa weekday. Insya Allah aku mampir kebon kacang setelah lebaran,…met mudik ya
Maret 31, 2009 pada 3:57 pm
Quoting your last sentence:
“Hopefully, I will witness we beat this idiot neighbor not only in music but also in GDP.”
Hey, don’t simply call us idiot.
I myself appreciate Indonesian beautifully written songs. But Malaysians want to strengthen its music industry, therefore they seek help from the government. Same case like our proton-automobile industry. Ask yourself, will your government do the same in such situation, to support your own local products/industrial development?
and good luck with the GDP-thingy ~ bersatu baru boleh maju. I’ll definitely monitor that too.
April 1, 2009 pada 7:29 pm
Honestly, by restricting Indonesian song your government acted like an idiot. Restricting foreign song may benefited ur singers financially for some time, but malaysian singers will lose chance to compete with very good singers. When you competing with a very good rival, if you didnt win at least you were in the same league and will learn to be better.
Music is about taste you know, so much different with car industry. Tell me, do you pay Indonesian music cd more expensive than malay music cd? While car customer may choose a car because of lower price (say because of less value added tax), music customer mostly will choose music based on taste and preference.
Na-ah, our gov didn’t give such kind of protection ever. Until early 2000, for almost 20 years, our film industry were dying. Now, we have many local movies that we could proud of… It’s not government protection that changed our local movie industry, it’s just different government enviroment. We could say, it’s the positive side of reformation era.
I can’t imagine any improvement for your local song if UMNO-style gov still rules the country. Your government protection will bring your music industry nowhere.
About the GDP, Indonesia is a sleeping giant. If we wake up, malaysia will be definitely irrelevant to compare. Ya, we both will see.
September 10, 2009 pada 8:49 pm
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Cheers! Sandra. R.
September 10, 2009 pada 11:17 pm
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Oktober 8, 2009 pada 2:40 pm
Just let them do it! Indonesians have no problem with Malay govt’s banning of the Indo music because we don’t earn that much profit from selling it to them anyway. They’re the one who loved our music! They love it so much that make their own gov ban the music even claiming that our music is theirs.