Opera aimed at discouraging migration<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Concerned by the vast influx of migrants to the capital, the city
\nadministration has been financing the production of a soap opera
\nthat aims to discourage people nationwide from migrating to
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
\"The soap opera titled Anak-Anak Teraniyaya (tortured
\nchildren) attempts to persuade against moving from
\nless-developed cities to Jakarta for a better living,\" City
\nPopulation and Civil Registration Agency head Khamil Abdul Kadir
\nsaid in a hearing with City Council Commission C for city revenue
\non Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\"Hopefully, we can start screening the soap opera in
\nSeptember,\" he added.<\/p>\n
According to the agency, between 200,000 and 250,000 migrants
\nfrom less-developed cities in the country take up residence here
\nevery year, causing the population density to soar to 16,000
\nresidents per square kilometer in some areas of the capital.<\/p>\n
This not only forces the city administration to provide more
\npublic facilities, but also increases the crime rate in the
\ncapital.<\/p>\n
The soap opera, locally known as sinetron, will be aired by
\nprivate TV station RCTI. Gito Rollies, a popular rock singer, who
\nmade his name after becoming an Islamic preacher, is among the
\nstars of the soap opera.<\/p>\n
Abdul said the soap opera, produced by a production house
\nowned by film director Ali Shahab, would tell the story of
\nunfortunate migrants whose dreams of a better life in the capital
\nare dashed.<\/p>\n
\"The soap opera is part of our campaign to curb the massive
\ninflux of unskilled migrants to the city, which has led to
\npopulation concerns here,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to Abdul, production of the sinetron was underway as
\nearly as 2003.<\/p>\n
\"But, as RCTI requires us to come up with at least 14
\nconsecutive episodes -- and we had budgetary constraints that
\ndidn't allow us to make them all straightaway -- it became a
\nthree-year project,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The production house, he explained, has completed 11 episodes,
\nof which six were made in 2003 and five in 2004. The last three
\nepisodes should be made by 2005.<\/p>\n
The agency said it had paid the production house around Rp 2
\nbillion, or Rp 144 million for each episode.<\/p>\n
The cost of producing the soap opera has outraged some
\ncouncillors who claim to be familiar with the film industry.<\/p>\n
\"I think Rp 144 million an episode is far too high. According
\nto my estimations an episode should not cost more than Rp 100
\nmillion -- and that's if popular actors and actresses are cast,\"
\nsaid Mohamad Mansur Syaerozi of the Reform Awakening faction
\nalliance.<\/p>\n
Similarly, Igo Ilham, who once starred in a religious film on
\nthe city's history, Fatahillah, claimed each episode should cost
\nmore like Rp 80 million per 30-minute episode.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, commission chairman Daniel Abdullah Sani of the
\nNational Mandate Party faction questioned the lengthy production
\nperiod.<\/p>\n
\"I am just wondering why the agency pressed ahead with the
\nproject, regardless of how long it would take,\" Daniel said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/opera-aimed-at-discouraging-migration-1447893297",
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