The Sound of Dangdut Music to Reject Porkas in Indonesia 1986-1987

Abstract

This article examines the role of dangdut music as a medium of social protest against Porkas (Pekan Olahraga dan Ketangkasan), a state-sponsored gambling program implemented in Indonesia during 1986–1987. Using a historical and cultural approach, this study analyzes how dangdut—widely regarded as popular music of the lower and middle classes—functioned as a channel for moral criticism and public resistance to gambling policies perceived as contradictory to religious and social values. Drawing on song lyrics, media reports, government documents, and contemporary accounts, the research demonstrates that dangdut musicians and audiences actively articulated opposition to Porkas through musical performances and symbolic expressions. The findings suggest that dangdut was not merely a form of entertainment but also a vehicle for collective moral discourse that reflected broader tensions between state policies and popular religious sentiments, particularly within Muslim communities. By situating dangdut within the socio-political context of late New Order Indonesia, this article contributes to the understanding of popular culture as an arena of negotiation, resistance, and moral expression in modern Indonesian history.