Jakarta Governor Plans 'Manggarai Berselawat' Program to Tackle Brawls

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung Wibowo has announced plans to create the 'Manggarai Berselawat' program to address the recurring issue of brawls in Manggarai, South Jakarta. He believes that solving this issue requires understanding and addressing its fundamental causes.

Pramono explained that the mass recitation of the shalawat (salutation to Prophet Muhammad) aims to tackle brawls using cultural and religious methods. The program will involve bringing together the groups of residents who are often in conflict.

"I will start what is called Manggarai Berselawat. I will invite the conflicting groups there, including residents of Neighborhood Units (RW) 04, RW 05, or any other relevant RW, to sit down together," said Pramono in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.

He mentioned that he has studied several factors contributing to the frequent brawls in Jakarta, including what he termed "misfortune." He stated that those involved often lack permanent jobs, and he also pointed to the lack of sports facilities and other public amenities. Pramono argued that the potential of these young people cannot be properly channeled due to underutilized facilities.

Regarding the brawls, Pramono emphasized the importance of cultural and religious approaches over simply blaming the residents. "We cannot only blame them. Because in my opinion, these are the approaches I want to provide, so that there is a cultural approach, a religious approach, and people feel valued," he said.

The politician from PDIP also mentioned the possibility of expanding similar programs to other areas in Jakarta. Regarding the specific details of how the joint prayer program will be implemented, Pramono only stressed that the approach will be adapted to the specific characteristics of the local community. He noted that the majority of Manggarai residents are Muslim. "They pray regularly, but brawls still happen frequently. So, this is for us to reconcile together," he said.

Prior to this announcement, a brawl occurred in the Manggarai area of Tebet, South Jakarta, on Sunday night, May 4, 2025. Tempo observed that brawls in Manggarai happen almost every year.

According to the South Jakarta Metropolitan Police Chief Commissioner Ade Rahmat Idnal, brawls in the Manggarai area have been a long-standing issue, dating back to the 1970s. Ade stated that the reasons for the brawls vary, but they are often triggered by minor issues, ranging from firecracker incidents and accidental bumps on the street to disputes involving women.

"If you search online, this has been happening since the 1970s. Sometimes it's due to small problems, firecracker issues, accidental collisions, and sometimes issues related to women," Ade told the media on Friday, May 9, 2025.

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