Tukul Arwana

May 5th, 2007, in News, by

Tukul Arwana is spreading an immoral virus throughout the country.

Tukul Arwana, the host of Trans 7’s Empat Mata (Four Eyes) talk show program, has aroused the ire of the ever-vigilant guardians of national morality, the students of Muhammadiyah 4 primary school in Pucang, Surabaya (see also Valentine’s Day).

Tukul Arwana
Tukul Arwana and his dancers.

Marking the occasion of National Education Day on May 2nd hundreds of Muhammadiyah 4 students demonstrated against Tukul, and against poor quality, uneducative television programming generally such as shows about teen romance, sex, violence, and superstition, and celebrity gossip. metrotv

Of Tukul Arwana 5th grader Fahrizal had been well primed by his teachers for his speech: kompas

Kissing guests on both cheeks is not good, it’s immoral, because he is not related to them.

The female guests on Empat Mata dressed too revealingly, the young lad went on, and that, coupled with the cheek kissing, amounted to a deliberately created “virus” spreading through society.

If they behave like that we’ll just turn off the tv. Do you agree?

His schoolmates shouted “Agree!”


Make us moral.

Some tortuous translations of some of the banners the students carried:

  • “Kissing the Cheeks of Non Related People…. No Thanks” (Cipika-Cipiki Yang Bukan Muhrim… Nggak-lah)
  • It doesn’t matter whether 4 eyes or 1000 eyes, just be moral.
    (4 Mata atau 1000 Mata Boleh Asal Jaga Akhlak)
  • Media for us [kids] needs to have educational programmes.
    (Media-ku Kami Butuh Acara Mendidik)

The school principal, M Sholihin, said “Empat Mata” was shown too early at night, from 9.30 pm, and so many schoolchildren could see it. He advised Tukul to stop kissing guests on the cheek, make his guests dress in a way that didn’t reveal what was forbidden, and to improve his language, especially given the fact that Tukul was originally a village boy and he should know better.


38 Comments on “Tukul Arwana”

  1. Andrew says:

    Funny, why don’t they demonstrate against something more urgent these days: violence & corruption.

    Oh, the answer is same ol’ same ol’: because they’re just a bunch of hypocrites.

    Or to be exact: they are being taught to be hypocrite.

    I just didn’t know Hypocrisy 101 was one of the courses offered at school.

  2. El Gran Combo Puertorico says:

    The parents / teachers and the politicians behind them, using their kids? How low can you go?

    I just don’t believe that 4th graders would do this kind of thing on their own initiative.

    And the slogan in one of their placards, “oh media, arahkan kami akhlak”, it’s sounds sooo unnatural from a kid.

  3. Abul says:

    Combo, I thought the same thing actually. I feel sorry for the kids. It’s really funny some folks want to channel their opinion using kids as pawns, or drones. but then again, Indonesia is the place where funny things oftenly happen. 😉

  4. Andrew says:

    If they behave like that we’ll just turn off the tv. Do you agree?
    His schoolmates shouted “Agree!”

    Good if you all agree, turn off your TV and shut the **** up.

  5. I quite agree with those students, although I’m not saying that Tukul is wrong. The students at least had a point, Indonesian viewers including the kids are bombarded by stupid and immoral tv shows everyday: sinetron, gossip shows, and probably talk shows. Well, those students don’t understand about corruption it’s TV that they watch everyday and this media gives them negative influences.

    Of course it seems that these kids were “puppets” but again they had a point. What the said was true that we had lots of immoral and uneducated tv shows.

  6. Robert says:

    Guebukanmonyet,

    The students at least had a point, Indonesian viewers including the kids are bombarded by stupid and immoral tv shows everyday: sinetron, gossip shows, and probably talk shows. Well, those students don’t understand about corruption it’s TV that they watch everyday and this media gives them negative influences.

    You may have a point there about kids being bombarded with all kinds of crap on the tv, but I am missing one important factor: the parents.
    When there is much junk on the TV, why do the parents let their children watch it in the first place? It is weird that people complain about the moral value of TV programs, but they keep on watching it. Why don’t they turn the bloody TV off then? What kind of parents do these kids have?
    The kids involved, don’t they do kids’ stuff? Playing, reading childrens’ books, etc. Also the complaint that there should be more educational programmes on TV, makes no sense. Is it the task of the Media to educate the children? No, that is why the kids go to school, there you’ll find the education, not on TV.
    This won’t be the first time that these kids will be manipulated, so it will be a good training for what they can expect in their future lives.

  7. pj_bali says:

    Actually Empat Mata is one of the few indo programs I like. Rock on Tukul! If kids are watching TV at 9:30 then they are either not doing enough homework or lacking extracurricular activities. As Robert pointed out where are the parents in all of this? Is it so difficult to just change the channel or ban the TV after 9:00?

    As for this school.

    Now I know where the mob mentality comes from in Indonesia. It’s ingrained into the masses from the time they can talk. Are they born with placards in their hands? Must all issues be reduced to a set of oversimplified slogans? If teachers at this school really wanted to educate their students they could initiate a letter writing contest or an essay contest to explore the issue. The letter could then be sent to their elected representives or tv stations, newspapers etc. to stimulate discussion on the topic. They might even get a response from somebody. Teaching students to bray like donkeys at every perceived problem in indo just reduces the credibility of their statements and does nothing to further the democratic process in Indonesia. Whats on next years curriculum? Stone throwing, flag burning and thuggery?

    Cheers

  8. Mohammed Khafi says:

    Combined exploitation of children and brainwashing, how sad. If the teachers really cared about their wards, they would be sitting in class being educated. If these children are really sitting and watching Empat Mata in the evenings their parents should also be ashamed, at their age they should be in bed, sleeping!
    I am suprised at Muhammadiyah’s exploitation of these children, and the general lack of responsibility show by their parents.

    Peace

  9. Bas says:

    Robert, you must understand that in Indonesia children choose not only what they watch but also what his family watch. I have been living in 3 different families from the very poor to the wealthy one and it was always the children who choose the channel (I know disney channel programs very well now).

  10. Mohammed Khafi says:

    Not in our house Bas!

    Peace

  11. Boni says:

    The teachers at that school are bunch of hypocrite. But then again, they probably don’t know they are hypocrite. They think they were doing the right thing using those kids to demonstrated Tukul Arwana, but we all in this forum know they’re not.

  12. Robert says:

    pj_bali,

    Now I know where the mob mentality comes from in Indonesia. It’s ingrained into the masses from the time they can talk. Are they born with placards in their hands? Must all issues be reduced to a set of oversimplified slogans?

    You are pointing out the most distressing part of the events occurring at this school, the indoctrination part. Instead of turning this issue into an educational opportunity, the teachers chose to exploit the children as their own protest mob. Now the kids are being misused by the teachers, later in their lives they will be misused by others. Later they will think it is normal that others tell them what to do, because they never have been taught to think for themselves. It is sad to see that children are being exploited at such an early age.

    Mohammed Khafi,

    The teachers must be pretty lame that they exploit the children for expressing their own opinions instead of doing it themselves. Also the parents suck, if they let their children stay up that late. I wonder if those kids gets plenty of sleep then, maybe they catch up at school. I wonder how these kids perform at school then, when they stay up late watching TV-crap. At least you showed that there are responsible parents.

    Bas,

    Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to live with an Indonesian family, but when I read your post it might be quite an eye-opener for me. You may call me old-fashioned but I think it should the parents who decide what the children watch and not the other way around.

  13. Boni says:

    Robert,

    I am an Indonesian and I agree with your points. There is a serious problem within education system in Indonesia. Indonesian were being taught to obey without questions since we were kids.

    Now, some people (Indonesians) may disagree but that is because they don’t know they were being taught that way. We were taught to obey our parents at home, our seniors at school and our teacher at school. We were introduced to hierarchy based on seniority in society since we were young instead of equality in men and women.

    Bas,

    There is no excuse whatsoever to let children decide what they want to watch. That is not true, I have a couple of friends who will testify that they weren’t allowed to watch TV after 6:00 PM.

  14. Aluang anak Bayang says:

    hehe .. I know the gal on the left. She looks better in real person.

  15. Dimp says:

    Again, blame others, if you need to guard your “ahlak”, then just turn off the ‘tele’, you dumb kids.

  16. Andrew says:

    Aluang, she looks good already in the picture…
    She’s better in person? can I have her phone#? 🙂

  17. Grace and Mercy says:

    Patung, just a minor correction on your article. The show airs on Trans 7 not Metro TV

    Cheers!

  18. Rambutan says:

    80%-90% of the TV shows are indeed utter crap. Tukul is actually quite entertaining compared to the rest.
    Re kissing on the cheek: It seems more important to me to stop the endless stream of violence on the telly. What is more damaging to a kid? Seeing murder and rape or a kiss?

  19. Achmad Sudarsono says:

    Friend,

    I have been saying this all along: the immoral activities Tukul is indulging in is not because he is an Indonesian, but because of the influence of a dangerous element in Indonesia: The Bule.

    The Bule is insidious. He gets in when we least expect it, when our defenses are down, such as when we are laughing. We Melayu are happy because we are close to God, so we smile a lot, Friend.

    Friend,

    I recommend Tukul not to ‘kembali ke laptop,’ but to ‘kembali ke buku suci.’

    That is my recommendation, Friend.

    Increase Da Peace,
    Sava Da Flava,

    Achmad.

  20. DoOs says:

    Combined exploitation of children and brainwashing, how sad. If the teachers really cared about their wards, they would be sitting in class being educated. If these children are really sitting and watching Empat Mata in the evenings their parents should also be ashamed, at their age they should be in bed, sleeping!
    I am suprised at Muhammadiyah’s exploitation of these children, and the general lack of responsibility show by their parents.

    Peace

    I like that, why are they watching Tukul late at night when they should be in bed or studying for UAN.

    The Bule is insidious. He gets in when we least expect it, when our defenses are down, such as when we are laughing. We Melayu are happy because we are close to God, so we smile a lot, Friend.

    Please define what close to God means. I do not pray 5 times a day, I spilled coffee on the buku suci one day, yet when this child during Jan floodings had his foot cut (kena beling), I saw one Pak Haji in a Waroeng smoking and watching – I carried this kid to a nearby puskesmas 3 km away.

    I recommend Tukul not to ‘kembali ke laptop,’ but to ‘kembali ke buku suci.’

    I recommend you to go to the United States of America and see how moral and good those people are (unlike what you see in the movies). I also recommend you to open your shallow mind and kembali ke ketuhanan instead of believing books.

  21. Janma says:

    I myself am always planning the downfall of various asian countries. In the case of Indonesia I barely have to do anything cause I have so much help from the government as it is.

    I thought that Achmad was joking! ? was he for real?

    Gawd!

  22. Arema says:

    @Janma: Achmad Sudarsono is always seriously joking, lol

    The problem is, he may actually represent the thought of more Indonesians than all of us, “sane” IM-ers, combined!

  23. Aluang anak Bayang says:

    If anyone could take Achmad seriously, then you are either new to Indonesia or you have not yet known any overseas Indonesian kid well enough. Arema is right, he is a very typical Indonesian kid, most probably from the Jakarta elite, non-religious Muslim, uncommitted and always ready to pull a prank. An Indonesian larrikin, I would say.

    LOL @ Achmad Sudarsono.

  24. Rambutan says:

    Common, Achmad is great. “The Bule is insidious” must be one of the best lines I heard/ read this week!!

  25. Kopral Jono says:

    I’m sure those guys who sick to watch Tukul’s behave, just jeoleous, sick to think, why in a bloody world is not themself who close enough to smell the fresh perfume of Sarah Azhari.

  26. Piddy says:

    Well, it is better than rioting.

    Trying to use public pressure to influence media companies or to influence the government to pass laws are all legitimate tactics. Ref: the Don Imus scandal in the USA, and laws passed to combat indecency on tv.

    The responsiveness of the government makes it stable.

  27. Nickels says:

    I’m concerned about one thing that is unfortunately taken to be obvious: the boundaries of morality.

    We can’t just assume that there is one overarching morality we are all defending here. And noticably so there isn’t any – otherwise there wouldn’t be any discussion, really.

    I think we need to be careful when it comes to drawing a line and/or impose a conceptual notion such as morality. It is a cause for concern, especially in Indonesia, when teachers mobilize their pupils for a cause that seems or (at least superficially) appears to be just; or when an independent fundamentalist group razes an entire city for, again, a cause that seems (to have been agreed upon subjectively as) just; or when a collective in the parliament proposes an act (against porno-aksi and such) that gives authority to breach of privacy. These are all cases of moral impositions. What kind of a morality are these instances suggesting? Is it really a normative suggestion, i.e., for the betterment of life, or is it just another sample of bad reasoning that may consequently exacerbate the already delicate circumstances within the Indonesian community; the delicate condition in Indonesian society is a condition that I take to be obvious, because believe it or not, I don’t think we have a clue what it means to be Indonesian, really. The delicacy is admittedly another cause for concern, but that’s not the point that I wish to adjudicate.

    All I’m saying is that as informed citizens we need to exercise scrutiny. We can’t just take things as implicit. Even with the case of moral imposition, I contend that we need to step back and examine critically such an imposition. What’s the motive behind it? What’s the impetus? What is it aiming at in the long run? What sort of a scale/consideration has it taken? If we claim to be a pluralist society then ought we not take into account the possibly manifold facade of morality?

    Cheers,
    Nickels

    P.S. One more thing, we also need to be careful with using the word ‘Democracy’. If Democracy should imply something then it should not and does not imply “naive dissent.”

  28. Countryman says:

    That Muhammadiah students and their TEACHERS must reade more on the interpretaion of the Great Quran. There are hundreds of sects that basically constitute of Moslem different streams. The EMPAT MATA scenes are an every day today life for those Moslem that are not followers of WAHABISM. This country is not belong to Muhamaddiah alone. There other people too and the state is not an Islamic state. hat they will say if Muhammaddiah members commit a crime or adultery? Will they blame media? No their families must be scolded! Folks read and please read and travel.

  29. Sandra says:

    Demonstration against Tukul? It sounds odd.I mean, if they don’t like the cheek kissing, they don’t have to watch that show. I think cheek kissing is already a common thing in here. There are also many programmes that show pretty chicks dressing revealingly. They can’t blame Tukul just for that, the gueststars must be blamed for that. Besides, where do parents go? Parents should be controlling programmes their children use to watch, especially at night.

  30. Jack says:

    Tukul, Tukul, I am from village too (wong ndeso) but I don’t like it with all immoral that shown on your show. Everybody wants to be happy, so I think you should change your style to shown to audiences that’s you still have manner.
    INDONESIA HAVE A CULTURE MAN!

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