Betawi artists and famous comedian, Opie Kumis, expressed his hopes for the advancement of Betawi culture under the leadership of the new Jakarta Governor and Deputy Governor, Pramono Anung and Rano Karno.

"Insya Allah, Betawi culture can be advanced,"

He emphasized the importance of promoting Jakarta's original culture so that it remains preserved and receives more attention from the local government.

"Hopefully, Insya Allah, Betawi culture can be advanced . Then, what needs to be addressed can also be addressed well. Traffic jams, flooding issues are indeed difficult, but hopefully it can be resolved well. The point is that the people's wants can also be realized well," he said when met at the welcoming ceremony of Jakarta Governor and Deputy Governor-elect at Jakarta City Hall, Thursday (2/20).

As an artist who has long been engaged in Betawi entertainment industry, he pointed out the opportunities given for young generations to get involved in Jakarta's traditional culture.

He hopes the new government will be more serious in supporting Betawi culture, including to add more spaces for young artists.

"Now, children who usually play lenong don't have much time to play. If possible, they should play more often and be more united, because Betawi culture can be further advanced if we delve deeper into it to enrich it," he uttered.

According to him, regeneration in Betawi arts is still a big challenge. Currently, young people tend to be less interested in exploring arts and cultures of their home region.

However, he remains optimistic that with the right encouragement, they will be willing to explore and appreciate Betawi culture.

"Importantly, it needs a place, land, location, and building. If all those are available, many people will definitely want to engage in artistic activities later on," he stated.

He also admitted that the efforts to preserve Betawi culture in the previous leadership were quite good, especially in terms of infrastructure, such as arts studios and buildings. However, he hopes that Pramono Anung and Rano Karno can bring more significant advancements.

"Under Mas Pram and Bang Doel, we hope that Betawi culture (advancement) can really reach 100 percent, more vibrant again," he conveyed.

With more attention from the Jakarta Provincial Government, he added, Betawi arts and culture are expected not only survive, but also grow and become the pride of Jakarta residents.

"We really hope that under the leadership of Mas Pram and Bang Doel, we can realize policies that support Betawi artists to continue their works and introduce the unique culture of the capital city to the future generations," he closed.