Titiek Soeharto praises diversity of Lunar New Year celebrations at Jakarta's SCBD
Jakarta (ANTARA) — Chair of House of Representatives Commission IV Siti Hediati Hariyadi, commonly known as Titiek Soeharto, said the Lunar New Year celebrations at the Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD) area demonstrated the diversity of Jakarta’s communities.
“It is not only Chinese-Indonesians here — all of Jakarta’s communities are present,” said the Commission IV Chair when met at the “Ride to Luck” themed celebration held at the SCBD area in Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon.
She expressed her appreciation that a modest celebration to mark the Lunar New Year remained lively owing to the enthusiasm of visitors arriving from various parts of the city.
She also highlighted the many Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) trading at the venue.
“So everyone can enjoy themselves here. The MSMEs can also sell their goods here,” she explained.
At the same event, organising committee member Ananta Pribadi said the celebration adopted the theme “Ride to Luck” (Join the Journey, Catch the Luck), combining a spirit of optimism, fortune and cultural harmony in Jakarta.
Through a collaboration between the SCBD Commercial District, SCBD Park and SCBD Weekland, the festivities not only showcased the vibrancy of Chinese traditions but also celebrated local cultural fusion, particularly Betawi culture.
Lion dance performances and dragon dances were paired with Betawi performing arts, creating a communal space reflecting Jakarta’s diversity. The event also featured a 30-metre Naga Liong dragon and the release of 9,988 Java sparrows.
The celebration was aligned with the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government’s programme entitled “Jakarta Melting Pot: Harmony in Diversity,” which promotes the strengthening of tolerance and urban tourism.
“Through the Ride to Luck theme, we want to invite the public to begin a new journey this year with full optimism. We are proud to be able to showcase the harmony of Chinese and Betawi cultures living side by side in a modern district such as SCBD,” said Ananta.