Is It True That Sailfin Catfish Is Used as an Ingredient for Siomay? Here's What the West Jakarta Mayor Says

The Jakarta Provincial Government is being asked by council members to monitor the buying and selling of sailfin catfish meat for food production. The sailfin catfish is considered contaminated with sludge. In response, West Jakarta Mayor Iin Mutmainnah stated that so far, they have not received reports of practices involving the making of siomay or other processed foods using sailfin catfish as a base ingredient. “I haven’t found that in West Jakarta; so far, the information is that it doesn’t exist in West Jakarta. But if it does exist, we will certainly act according to clear regulations, because it’s not allowed,” said Iin. Nevertheless, Iin assured that she will continue to coordinate with Regional Work Units (UKPD) to tighten supervision. According to Iin, the ban on consuming sailfin catfish will be enforced strictly, given that the fish survives by absorbing toxins in the river. “The food content eaten by the sailfin catfish is pollutants, and this is a predatory species, so it’s indeed dangerous,” explained Iin. Member of Commission A of the DKI Jakarta Provincial DPRD, Hilda Kusuma Dewi, is pushing for increased supervision over the potential circulation of processed foods using sailfin catfish ingredients. “Sailfin catfish reproduces very quickly, and it’s certainly dangerous if used as a processed food ingredient,” said Hilda at the site of fish capture in the Semanan Indah Canal tributary, Kalideres, Jakarta, on Friday. Hilda did not deny that street food vendors like siomay sellers caught using sailfin catfish as raw material have become a focus of attention.