Bobotoh Jakarta

Football is a popular sporting event that is loved by many.

My profession as a radio announcer for the 15 to 35 year-old segment prompted me to be knowledgeable of sports news including football. I don't like to play football but I enjoy watching the games, especially the BIG MATCH.

In Bandung, the pride of the city is Persib Bandung. The team has fanatical and loyal supporters that are called Bobotoh Persib. The members consist of people from various backgrounds, from babies to old people.

Bobotoh Persib worship the team, even when losing but even more so when winning. The actions of the Bobotoh often worry Bandung citizens who would go home early when a match is being played there and when Persib loses. This is done to avoid the convoys of Bobotoh who sometimes are rather wild although nowadays these Persib fans are more mature. However, there are still some who act as bullies and cause damage when Persib loses.

With regards to the bobotoh and persib, as radio announcer wherein my radio station always covers live all Persib matches in the Indonesian League, I am often in awe of the enthusiasm and fanaticism of the Persib bobotoh, sometimes even shocked.

What really shocked me was (as I read in one of Bandung's newspapers), one of Persib bobotoh supporters named his son Persib. It's kinda weird to me, but that is what is called fanaticism. At least this type of fanaticism is not out of place nor destructive.

There was another incident which I consider funny. One day, when I wasn't on duty, I went to an area in Kosambi, a quite popular market in Bandung aside from Pasar Baru. It was so happened that that day Persib Bandung was playing but it was not shown on the official television. Automatically, Bobotoh Persib immediately would listen to the radio station where I work. And you know what, when I was about to park my car, all parking attendants and security guards suddenly disappeared. As I stepped out of my car, I discovered that there was a big group of people that gathered, from street-side drink vendors, parking attendants, passers-by, security guards and many more were listening attentively to the live coverage of the Persib match on radio. It seemed that no one paid attention to the cars that came to park or to leave. I thought, they were thinking that they'd get the parking fees later while they watched Persib play.

Not only that, I also witnessed bobotoh fanaticism elsewhere as in restaurants, salons, clothing stores, etc. This was evident when they stopped their activities for a while to watch a Persib player enter the opponent's area or breach the defensive line, to find out if the player would be successful in his execution.

Another time, I was enjoying my "me time" in the salon with some friends. One of the capsters, whom I knew was a big fan of Persib, was blowing a customer's hair, when she suddenly stopped working to listen to the radio. A live broadcast was on and she remained silent as the radio reporter was enthusiastically describing a penalty kick. She had put her customer on hold.

One of the most fanatical Persib bobotoh is H. Umuh Muchtar (sorry if it is misspelled), the current Manager of Persib Bandung. Before he became the manager, it can be said that H. Umuh was the most generous bobotoh. He was the bobotoh who most often distributed bonuses from his own pocket to Persib players when they won a competition. If it were to be put into numbers, the amount would be in the hundreds of millions of Rupiah (for players, officials, crew, etc).

This is my observations of Persib from its fans' point of view regarding their beloved. Although Persib has yet to win the Indonesian League once more after the First Indonesian League. Although often defeated, Persib will always be loved by its Bobotoh.

Because PERSIB NU AING

by Hotman Christian