DKI DPRD Highlights Risk of Siomay Made from Sapu-Sapu Fish, Calls for Stricter Oversight

JAKARTA — A member of Commission A of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Hilda Kusuma Dewi, is pushing for increased oversight of the potential circulation of processed foods made from sapu-sapu fish. She assesses that using this fish as a consumable ingredient poses a risk because it generally comes from polluted waters. Hilda conveyed this during her attendance at an operation to catch sapu-sapu fish in the Taman Semanan Indah (TSI) canal tributary in Kalideres, West Jakarta, on Friday (17/4/2026). She mentioned that street food vendors, such as those selling siomay, have often been suspected of using sapu-sapu fish as raw material. According to her, this situation is problematic because the fish is typically caught from polluted river environments. Therefore, Hilda urged all parties to heighten awareness and monitor activities involving the catching of sapu-sapu fish that could be intended for consumption. “So let’s all safeguard it continuously. This requires monitoring and concern from all of us so that the river ecosystem remains clean, and the public is safe so that it is not consumed or taken for free by irresponsible individuals,” stated Hilda. She also passed a message to the West Jakarta Mayor to conduct sapu-sapu fish catching operations routinely. Meanwhile, West Jakarta Mayor Iin Mutmainnah claimed that so far, her side has not received reports regarding practices of making siomay or other processed foods using sapu-sapu fish in her region. Nevertheless, Iin assured that she will continue coordinating the issue with relevant Regional Work Units (UKPD) to tighten supervision. According to Iin, the ban on consuming sapu-sapu fish needs to be enforced because this fish often lives in polluted waters and has the potential to absorb harmful substances. “The food content consumed by the sapu-sapu fish is pollutants, and this is a predator-type fish, so it is indeed dangerous,” explained Iin.