Indonesia's silvermen beg to make ends meet


Street performers Keris Munandar (right) and his neighbour Riyan Ahmad Fazriyansah painting their bodies silver in Jakarta. - AFP

JAKARTA: On a rainy day in Indonesia's capital Jakarta, three men coated in metallic paint known as the "manusia silver", or silvermen, brave the elements at an intersection near a mall to ask drivers for change.

It is an arresting act that comes with health risks, one some young Indonesians feel is necessary to make ends meet as the cost of living worsens and jobs dwindle after the Covid pandemic.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
Indonesia , street , performers , beg , silvermen

Next In Aseanplus News

More Chinese cities see rising home prices in March
Police tighten control at 13 'hotspot' fuel stations in three states
Vietnamese PM Hung calls on Singapore’s support in developing international financial centres in Vietnam
Trump-Xi summit shaped by uncertainty, not strategy: experts
South Korean President Lee to make state visits to India, Vietnam to bolster economic and supply chain ties
Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Thursday (April 16, 2026)
SpiceJet, Akasa Air aircraft collide while taxiing at New Delhi’s IGI airport; all passengers safe
One country, two realities that are completely misaligned, cautions Dr Wee over petrol, diesel prices
Attorney General’s Office to expedite auction of seized Iranian tanker in Batam, Indonesia
Top-tier esports event Blast Premier Open set to take place in Singapore in March 2027

Others Also Read