Indonesian community finds its voice on 'radio santai'

By Sonya Sandham

SYDNEY (JP): Each Sunday evening in the Australian city of Sydney, homesick Indonesian students and long-term residents turn their radio dials to 89.7FM for Radio Suara Indonesia.

The two-hour Indonesian language program lives up to its name of giving the Indonesian community a voice and has attracted a loyal following among the 30,000-strong population who now call Sydney home.

Between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., the on-air light glows red in a small community radio station in the inner city suburb of Paddington and the voices of Emil Thamrin and Hendra Erisman, both students, take over the airwaves. Emil, 26, is the panel operator and presenter, and Hendra, 25, is copresenter for the evening.

The pair's relaxed approach to the program beguiles their ability behind the microphone which includes mile-a-minute banter and a strong knowledge of cultural events around Sydney and current affairs in Indonesia.

The laid-back style of the presenters has earned the program the nickname radio santai.

The program was the brainchild of Idar and Peter O'Sullivan. The couple met in Indonesia in 1980 while Peter was working for Reuters and freelancing to cover the Southeast Asian Games and Idar was an interpreter for a Japanese journalist at the Games. They were married six months later.

Idar, who is from Aceh, and her Australian-born husband felt so strongly about giving the growing Indonesian community in Sydney a voice that they set up their own radio program.

Idar had some broadcasting experience but undertook training with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to ensure the program was not only informative but sounded professional.

When the program broadcast for the first time on July 7, 1996, the phones were silent and Idar and Peter were alone in the studio. They wondered whether anyone out there in radio land was listening.

Over the following weeks and months, word spread and now the switchboard lights up as soon as the presenters open the phone lines for requests.

For the founders and sole financiers of Radio Suara Indonesia, Idar and Peter, the fourth birthday celebrations at the Indonesian Consulate in Sydney were a proud moment. Idar said the couple announced the running of the program would be handed over to the dedicated volunteers who have helped make it a success.

"For the last three years, students have been operating the program and doing a really good job," Idar said. "At the birthday celebrations we decided it was time to let the next generation run it in conjunction with us.

"As the student volunteers finish their studies and return to Indonesia, there are always others willing to devote their time to the program. One student, Ui, has been involved in the program for three years."

Presenter Emil Thamrin said the main contribution the student volunteers had made was to introduce more popular music and draw in a younger audience.

"When Indonesians arrive in Australia they don't know where to go or what's on and it can be a lonely time. People have told us what a difference it made for them to hear their favorite songs and the familiar sound of our voices each Sunday.

"We're providing a community service really because we discuss everything from the cultural differences you encounter and give them tips on how to feel at home here as well as providing information on health and wellbeing.

"We play music from all over Indonesia and talk about news from here in Sydney and Indonesia. We also do interviews with Indonesian students studying here as well as businesspeople and famous people, like singers Katon and Memes, who were here on tour last year."

Peter O'Sullivan said the program had cost him "a few tickets to Indonesia" but the contribution it had made to the community was well worth the sacrifice.

"We wanted a station that would present everybody's viewpoint because we have no prejudices against any sector in the Indonesian community. Everyone is welcome to put forward their views. That's what we set out to do and I believe we've been very successful. We want to be an independent voice and give a balanced viewpoint on the news.

"We also wanted to introduce Indonesian bands and dance groups to the wider community. We maintain a register of all these groups and when organizations contact us we put them in touch with the groups for trade functions or launches with an Indonesian feel.

"We discuss health issues such as immunization, hepatitis, screening for breast cancer and genital mutilation; messages which wouldn't otherwise reach the Indonesian community."

Emil and Hendra -- along with presenters Ahman Gustinego (Ui), 22, Meutya and the daughter of the founders, Alfira O'Sullivan, 17 -- are the team behind the program.

The team at Radio Suara Indonesia can be reached on suaraindonesia@hotmail.com.