Behind the DIY Speaker, Pushcart Buskers Struggle in Jakarta's Narrow Alleys

Sounds of dangdut music, including koplo remixes, begin to spill from the narrow alleys of Senen, Central Jakarta, as the sun sets on Monday, 18 May 2026. It is at this time that pushcart buskers start out, carrying improvised speakers and car batteries to roam the residents’ neighbourhoods. Most buskers choose to operate from about 16:00 to 22:00. Besides the cooler weather, night is considered safer from raids by the Satpol PP (Public Order Agency). Soni (29), one of the roaming pushcart buskers in the Senen-Paseban area, says he prefers working at night because it is considered safer. “If on the main roads there is more competition and a higher risk of raids. In the narrow alleys, residents are sometimes more attentive,” he told Kompas.com. Each day, Soni has to set aside money to rent the speaker for Rp 40,000. In addition, he must buy meals and battery supplies so the sound equipment can stay powered throughout the journey. In crowded conditions, especially on weekend nights, his earnings can reach Rp 150,000. But on ordinary days, he often brings home only Rp 50,000 to Rp 80,000. “Sometimes it all goes on paying for the speaker,” he said. When it rains, the buskers usually stop at shopfronts or under bridges to prevent the speakers from being damaged. “My feet hurt from walking continually while pushing the cart,” he said. A similar fate befalls Asep (38), the pushcart busker who has lived on Jakarta’s streets for seven years. Before busking, he worked as a labourer unloading goods at a market. But that work grew quieter, so he joined his friends to busk around.