Ismail Marzuki: (Ensiklopedi Indonesia)
Ismail Marzuki

Ismail Marzuki was a prominent composer during the pre-independence era. He composed popular national songs including '€œRayuan Pulau Kelapa'€ (Solace on Coconut Island), '€œGugur Bunga'€ (Falling flowers), '€œSepasang Mata Bola'€ (Beady eyes) and '€œSelendang Sutra'€ (Silk Scarf).

His songs although considered melodious and melancholic are deemed heroic.

Born in Kwitang, Central Jakarta, in 1914, Ismail was raised in a Betawi family, who gave him the nickname Bang Ma'€™ing.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono named him a hero on National Heroes Day in 2004. Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) Art Center in Cikini, Central Jakarta, also bears his name.

(JP)
Ali Sadikin

Among the governors who have led the capital city, Ali Sadikin is undeniably the most famous. Ali, born in Sumedang, West Java, was a navy lieutenant general until Soekarno appointed him Jakarta'€™s seventh governor. He held the position from 1966 to 1977.

During his tenure, Bang Ali, initiated many development projects in Jakarta, including the construction of TIM, Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta and Taman Ria Monas in Central Jakarta.

The governor also held Malam Muda Mudi (Youngster Night) festival, a program later adopted by current Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo.

Ali was also infamous for a controversial policy that allowed gambling and created a legal red-light district in Kramat Tunggak, North Jakarta.

Historian Adolf Heuken once said that Ali was the one who made Jakarta popular as it was during his reign that many people migrated to the capital.

Henk Ngantung

Henk Ngantung, born Hendrik Joel Hermanus Ngantung in 1921, was deputy governor under Sumarno (1960-1964) before replacing his superior.

He was a painter and due to this artistic background Ngantung tempted to mold Jakarta into a cultural city.

Henk was involved with the People'€™s Art Foundation (Lekra), which was affiliated with the now-defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), and he designed the Welcome Statue at Hotel Indonesia traffic circle; the West Irian Liberation Statue in Lapangan Banteng, Central Jakarta; the city administration emblem; and the Army'€™s Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad), among many others.

The city administration honored Henk'€™s wife as a respected citizen of Jakarta during the city'€™s 486th anniversary.

(JP)
Benyamin Sueb

Benyamin Sueb (1939-1995) was a multi-talented Betawi artist who spent his life popularizing Betawi culture through his art. Thanks to Benyamin, the Betawi language, culture and art reached a wider audience.

Benyamin started his career as a singer in 1968, popularizing the Betawi songs he covered. His famous tunes include '€œSi Jampang'€ (The Jampang), Ondel Ondel (Betawi Giant Effigy), '€œNyai Dasima'€ (Miss Dasima) and '€œDi sini Aje'€ (Come Here).

The late Betawi icon also tried his hands at acting and started in Honey Money and Jakarta Fair in 1970. He went on to produce 53 films and 75 albums during his lifetime.

His name was lent to a road in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.

Muhammad Bakir

Unlike other figures, Muhammad Bakir was less famous for Jakartans. Bakir, who lived in the 19th century, was a
Betawi literature pioneer.

Bakir owned a reading center in Pecenongan, Central Jakarta and rented or read stories, which crossed genres including adventures, puppet stories and traditional Islamic story adaptations, for his, mostly Chinese, customers.

In copying the stories, Bakir often inserted his own thoughts and made improvements, including comments on current issues and affairs. His work evidences the fact that the Betawi community had long been familiar with cultural diversity and pluralism.

His works, which were written in the Jawi script (similar to Arabic calligraphy) in the Malay language, now form part of the National Library'€™s collection. '€” JP