Jokowi-Basuki Viral YouTube Campaign

“It’s not a campaign,” said the uploader in the YouTube page, “Just a heartily voice from a bunch of sympathiser representing those who want to see change in Jakarta.” This video gets 6.000+ views on its first day launch, 80.000+ on the second day, and the number is growing exponentially to this day.

Jokowi and his partner, Basuki (aka Ahok), are the governor-vice candidates for Jakarta’s election this year. This year’s fight for Jakarta’s top job differs greatly from the previous ones. Jokowi, which is known as a grassroot leader by his previous duty as Solo’s mayor, teams up with Basuki, a Christian-Chinese former mayor of Bangka Belitung.

That, readers, is totally anti-mainstream compared to the candidates from Jakarta’s previous elections: muslim, Betawinese, and elitist. Most people see this opportunity as a way to implement Indonesia’s motto, “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” (lit. “Many Yet One”). I’m not a foreseer, but, oh, all indicators suggest that Jokohok can win the province’s top job, with absolute win.

And for friends overseas who want to understand what the song is all about, here is the English translation for Jokowi-Basuki’s YouTube campaign. I matched the number of syllables and made it as rhyming as possible so you all can sing along

JOKOWI BASUKI

My alarms ring
in the morning
I’m still sleepy, gotta close my eyes for a blink
I recall that
I must be fast
Go to lurah nearby to renew my ID card

TL Note: “Lurah” is a district headman

Right from the bed I jump immediately
Getting ready A-S-A-P

Falling astonished in the minute I find out
Hundreds of people taking on the jammed crowded road
Cars, motorbikes, wagon, all fight for their path out
In what way
ah ah
can I go across the way?

How come it’s always this trafficky?
It’s been so long, can’t the solvers be in hurry?
They said they were going to build an MRT
If I knew this Had I known this
ih ih
I would have moved to Bali
ih ih
Instead, I’m stuck in Semanggi

TL Note: MRT refers to Jakarta’s monorail train; an unfinished project—suspected due to great corruption in its development fund—for Jakarta’s mass transportation. Its pylons now litter the streets of Jakarta. Semanggi is one of the most crowded points in Jakarta, known for its shopping centres. They imply that they are caught on Semanggi’s traffic jam.

Three, THREE hours!
Trip of ours
Arrivesd in lurah’s office, after getting lost
Sweating like horse (oke ini maksa)
Tired, oh gosh
Hugely surprised when I seeaw how darn long the queue was
My Jakarta, how come you are like this?
Lining up without sign to cease

I sit in waiting line with thirty applicants
Fanning ourselves, we all are were hot and unpleasant
Sweat starts trickling all over from our sweat gland
At what place
ah ah
are lurah officers here?

At last come out one man shows his face
Ferocious grimace with long, space-wasting mustache
He tells it will need three months to finish the process
“Unless ya…
ah ah
…hand a sum to grease my palms.”
ah ah
I got insufficient fund ._.

Du du du du “Where will I get cash from?
It’s left behind in my room.”
He tells me to try come back tomorrow
That gets my mouth wide open

My Jakarta, how come you are so cruel like this?
Street jammed, soiled, disordered, going day by day
In every place, payoff does not seem to cease
I do need
uh uh
I do need Mas Jokowi

TL Note: Mas is the Javanese word for big bro. Instead of ‘Mister’, Jokowi uses a more friendly term to address himself in campaign.

I do want Jakarta’s street jams to be solved
I do want Jakarta’s slum places to be handled
No longer bribery taking place here and there
I do want
Uh uh
Jokowi and Basuki

I do want flooding to be handled
Development fund is not going to be slipped
Impoverished townsmen also to be assisted

I do want
uh uh
I do want Mas Jokowi
ih ih
Also Mas Basuki
ih ih
Jokowi and Basuki!

September 1st: revisiting the translation to fix several tense mistakes.

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