Seniman Jalanan
A suggestion from the Chief Minister of Sabah after noting the countless destutite and diabled begging or playing music on the streets was to bring about the seniman jalanan or street musicians. Collectively they play a hodpodge of instruments from the electronic keyboards, guitars, tambourines and pipes, each with a distinct disability like blindness, deafness, missing limbs and diminished capacity of thought, others are homeless vagrants that calls the street their home. thus given a legitimate income earner they can better fend for their daily living, often they can be seen plying their trade during the weekly tamu at Gaya Street. Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, 2005.
2 comments:
i had seen these kind of street musicians begging on the streets in penang too. at the area where i stay, at the market, most of them are bling. one person will play the instrument, and one will sing.
kervin, i don't understand what you mean here by the CM's suggestion "... to bring about the streets musicians" ?? what does the CM intend to do?
lucia lai: Before the beggars were all lone operators, every few feet of street there would be one, some begging outhand others playing instruments. The idea was to give them some help by legalizing their talent, forming them into a rat tag band and giving them a place to legitimately perform and not just begging. Notice the shirts and equipment, those were given from the town council and also a sign endorsing them so people will be more willing to donate. There are others, children with limbs missing that seems a bit dubious and we wonder if they were truly disabled or difigured to make them more appealing for symphathy. For me I think it is a positive step to help them out.
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