Siti Badriah, a hugely popular singer in Indonesia, thanked Taiwan for taking good care of Southeast Asian migrant workers, including those from her country.
The 26-year-old Siti, who became wildly popular after her performance of Lagi Syantik (Pretty Full), has had close ties with Taiwan since performing at a concert in Taipei in 2016 to celebrate Eid al-Fitr to mark the end of Ramadan.
That performance bonded the singer and her fans — Indonesian migrant workers and Taiwanese — and they have been in contact online ever since.
Her rendition of Lagi Syantik has earned her the title of “Queen of YouTube” after it got more than 167 million hits.
The song, which describes how a girl has dressed herself up for her lover, has gained a strong following outside Indonesia, including in Taiwan, Japan and India, and migrant workers in Taiwan said that it is the most popular Indonesian song among them.
During an event to promote her album in Jakarta on Monday, Siti said she would like to perform again in Taiwan.
“If I have such a chance, I will not be doing it like I’m working there. It will be like I’m visiting friends and relatives, enjoying a party in their company,” she said.
Siti said she learned that President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) released a video message for Eid al-Fitr this year to thank Indonesian workers for their hard work and contributions to Taiwan, and used Indonesian to send her best wishes.
“I’m really delighted to learn that Taiwan’s president and government are taking good care of Indonesians in Taiwan and treasure their presence in Taiwan,” she said, adding that she hoped such good deeds and kindheartedness would bring blessings to all.
To her compatriots in Taiwan, Siti said: “I love you,” asking them to “be a plus” to Indonesia’s image.
She said that Indonesian migrant workers in Taiwan should “love Taiwanese, love Indonesians and don’t forget your folks in your hometown.”
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