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Santa Claus is coming to town: Jakartans listen to Christmas carols along thoroughfares
The Jakarta administration has begun a Christmas in Jakarta program this year. It has invited choirs to perform at 11 locations along Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin from Dec. 18 to 20.
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The Parahyangan University Student Choir from Bandung, West Java, performs a Christmas carol in Kendal underpass, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday. This year, the Jakarta administration has invited choirs to perform at 11 locations along Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin from Dec. 18 to 20. (JP/P.J. Leo)
T
he Melissa Choir sang “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” on Wednesday afternoon in front of Sampoerna Strategic Square in Karet Semanggi, Sudirman, South Jakarta, attracting dozens of people.
A few minutes later, adzan maghrib (the dusk call to prayer) rang out and the group took a break.
The Melissa Choir is one of several that have been invited to perform Christmas carols for the city administration’s Christmas in Jakarta program, held from Dec. 18 to 20 at 11 locations along Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin from 5 to 7 p.m.
Aside from the Sampoerna and Kendal underpasses, performances of university choirs from Jakarta and Bandung, West Java, can be heard in Dukuh Atas Park, in front of FX Sudirman, at Bundaran HI MRT station, Istora MRT station, Blok M MRT station, Cipete Raya MRT Station and in front of the Mayapada and Panin buildings.
The move has been supported and praised by Jakartans, many of whom were concerned about the state of religious tolerance in the city after several divisive elections.
Viona Charlotte, a 43-year-old homemaker, listened to the Parahyangan Catholic University choir at Kendal underpass. She took the MRT from Cipete Raya Station and got off at Dukuh Atas Station, near the underpass.
