Culture expo fails to attract visitors
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
You can easily find local black chickens, known here as cemani, in the Pramuka bird market in Central Jakarta. But, don't be surprised if you also find them at a stand forming part of a cultural expo which is due to run until Sunday in the air- conditioned hall of the Istora Senayan exhibition center in Central Jakarta.
Just go to the stand run by the Temanggung, Central Java, municipal administration. Small chickens are on sale at prices ranging between Rp 75,000 (US$8) and Rp 125,000.
The chickens are on display along with other local products including cigars, handicrafts, honey and brass sculptures.
The black chickens, which are believed to be good for the health, are only some of the attractions featured by 80 institutions participating in the expo, which is being held to mark the anniversary of Indonesia's independence.
"But, the expo is too quiet. Only a small number of visitors come here," Fat, a brass sculptor, sighed on Thursday, adding that he had failed to sell even one of his brass sculptures.
Ita, a visitor from Rawamangun, East Jakarta, complained about the lack of variety among the products on display.
Yeni, a resident of Setiabudi, South Jakarta, attributed the lack of visitors to the bad timing of the exhibition.
"Many people are broke now at the end of the month. A greater number of visitors might come if the exhibition were to be held right after payday," she said.
The culture expo is also probably proving less attractive than two other more glamorous expos being held in the same center, the state-owned enterprises expo and the international furniture expo.
A full team of senior officials from the Biak municipal administration from Papua province were among those disappointed by the low number of visitors.
"Twenty of us came from Biak to seek new investors. But, so far we have only found one local investor who has expressed interest in investing money there," Theo, who was manning the Biak stand, told The Jakarta Post.
The investor was to develop a teak plantation, Theo explained.
Besides, Theo added, a Taiwanese investor had also expressed interest in investing in a casino but thus far the plan could not be realized due to strong resistance from local people.
The expo, which is open from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m., also features recitals and traditional shows on the main stage in the center of the hall every day. A leather puppet show from East Java is slated to be held on Saturday, lasting until 4 a.m.
The organizer has boasted that the number of visitors will peak at the weekend as the expo is to play host to a performance by Raihan Nasyid, a Malaysian a capella singing group popular for their Islamic songs.