Tantowi Yahya warms to United States

Tantowi Yahya warms to United States

Yenni Djahidin, Contributor, Washington

There is no doubt that entertainer Tantowi Yahya is popular in
Indonesia, what is more of a surprise is the increasing
recognition he has on the other side of the world.

The Jakarta Post found him seated at the back of a trendy
restaurant in a Washington D.C. suburb, where most of the patrons
were relaxing outdoors, enjoying the warm and brilliant early
evening sky.

The waitress who showed the Post to the table, did a double
take and checked to confirm who Tantowi was.

The multitalented showman, who it turns out has already made
it onto U.S. primetime TV, is in the United States as part of the
Eisenhower Fellowship (EF) program. Tantowi said he was initially
surprised to be on the nomination list from Indonesia.

EF's Multi-Nation Program invites 25 emerging leaders from as
many countries to the U.S. each year. The program provides two
months of travel across the U.S., with a custom-designed program
for each participant.

Tantowi said the fellowships were associated with politics,
economy, environment and culture. Former fellows from Indonesia
including Trade Minister Marie Pangestu and journalist Yuli
Ismartono. However, Tantowi is the first member of the
entertainment industry to be chosen for the honor.

"This is the first time they (EF) opened a door for the
entertainment industry, which is one of the fastest-growing
industries in the world," he said.

As required by the fellowship, Tantowi designed an itinerary
based on his capacity as an entertainer and as chairman of the
Indonesian-American Friendship Association (PPIA). He proposed a
series of meetings with representatives of the American
entertainment industry.

"It's not easy for my program officer to secure appointments
with these well-known people because they are very busy," he
said.

Tantowi said that such people might also be suspicious about
his motives. "They might think I want to sell a program, look for
a job or steal their ideas," he added.

Despite that, the host of the Indonesian version of Who Wants
To Be A Millionaire? was able to meet with entertainment industry
representatives in New York City, Nashville, and California,
including officials at the National Academy of Recording Arts and
Sciences and the producer and organizer of the Grammy Awards.

Tantowi said he was also had a chance to appear on ABC
television's morning show, Live With Regis and Kelly. "First, I
was in the audience, but then Regis (Philbin) asked me a lot of
questions right after Drew Barrymore," he said proudly.

But what made the country music singer even happier was the
result of his meeting with the Country Music Association in
Nashville, Tennessee.

"Next year, I have been invited to represent Indonesia and
perform at the annual country music festival in Nashville," he
said.

Tantowi was born and grew up in the southern Sumatran city of
Palembang. He said his family liked to listen to Western music,
including country music from the U.S. He took lessons in English
after school and later graduated from the National Hotel and
Tourism Institute in Bandung.

Despite never living or studying in the United States, Tantowi
said he always liked America. As PPIA chairman, he had previously
proposed meetings with leaders of similar associations in the
United States.

Tantowi said he had also met with the secretary-general of the
American Library Association in Chicago. As a result, the
association agreed to send about 100,000 second-hand books to the
PPIA.

"We shall distribute the books to the institutions that need
them," he said. A short time later, he frowned and said, "the
only problem we are facing now is the shipping cost." But the
frown soon disappeared. "But I think we shall find a way," he
said.

Not all of his meetings ended so happily. Tantowi met with
groups that work to protect intellectual copyright, including the
one for International Intellectual Property Rights, a national
music publisher and the American Society of Song Writers and
Publishers.

These groups were very concerned at the level of copyright
piracy in Indonesia and asked Tantowi to urge the Indonesian
government to pay special attention to this problem.

"They (the groups) have accurate data on the piracy (here).
They even knew where to obtain these pirated products," he said.

Tantowi said the groups wanted the Indonesian government to
implement Indonesian copyright laws and were very frustrated with
what was going on in Indonesia.

"I wouldn't say they have given up, but they are losing hope,"
Tantowi said.

During their talks, the groups told him they were lobbying the
U.S. government and Congress to take steps against Indonesia if
it did not fix the problem.

When asked what he would do when he returns to Indonesia,
Tantowi said that he would be a different person. He said he
learned that wealthy people in the U.S. give money to a variety
of charitable foundations to promote different causes.

"God has blessed me with some talent, so I shall share it with
my fellow Indonesians for free," said the 44-year-old father of
one.

Tantowi said he would try to implement some things that he
learned in the U.S. to improve the entertainment industry and the
organization he led.

But he conceded some things would be hard to implement in
Indonesia where many groups depended on government help.

"We can't always rely on government funding. We have to be
creative in finding funding from the private sector," he said.

He would also like to emulate the professional associations in
the United States. "These groups are very helpful in lobbying the
government," he said.

Tantowi said he was very happy to meet Americans from many
different backgrounds. "America is huge. It is not like most
Indonesians think or perceive it to be -- not at all," he said.

Tantowi said that most Indonesians equate America with its
government. "I was here for almost two months and did not receive
any unfair racial treatment," he said.

"People are very friendly and welcoming," he added, with a
smile on his face.

"They like to make friends."