My Intention About JKT48

From now on, I will start to post about JKT48 in english only. My english is not very good, but I want International fans to know more about JKT48. I see that it was a bit hard to find news about them in english, so I want to help. Even though I'm not sure how much I can help...

Some information about me, I'm a female, 16 years old when I write this post, and I live here in Jakarta. I have liked JKT48 since their debut performance last year. I haven't watch them on theater because of many things, but I'm still hoping to watch them someday. My JKT48 Oshimen is Diasta Priswarini or also called "Nyash". And for AKB48... I haven't decide who is my oshimen yet, but recently I have some interest on Shimazaki Haruka.

Well okay, enough for my notification. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu. (_ _)

Thoughts About Cleopatra's Graduation From JKT48

Well, actually it is very late to comment about this, but I still wanted to post about this, the graduation (or maybe resignation) of one of JKT48's front girls. First, I want to apologize if there are mistakenly words, since I'm not a Cleo-oshi.

Short information about Cleo :
Name : Cleopatra Djapri (romaji : Kureopatora Japuri)
Nickname : Cleo, Cleo-nyan
Birthdate : December 20th 1993
Height : 164 cm
Team : 1st generation Kenkyuusei

1. The Graduation Announcement

According to the news from JKT48 Fans Club page, on November 24th 2012 around 00:15 AM, JKT48 1st generation member Cleopatra Djapri (Cleo/Cleo-nyan) announced her graduation via her official twitter account. This made whole JKT48 fans, especially Cleovers (Cleo's fans/wota) a kind of shock.

"Sorry for the fans of JKT48, especially Cleovers. Start from tonight, Cleo is no longer a member of JKT48."
"Because Cleo was very depressed by the behavior of a staff in JKT48."
"Cleo apologize profusely if Cleo had mistakes, either intentionally or unintentionally."
"Cleo hope that the fans and especially Cleovers, can understand how Cleo feel now."
"I'm not tired of the world of idols, but I'm tired of all the pressure."

(P.S : Some girls in Indonesia has a habit to mention herself using her own name instead of using "I", and Cleo did that sometimes. This kind of style express the personalities of child-like and cuteness.
It is also Indonesian habit to name the fanbase of something/someone, usually celebrities. For example Cleovers for Cleo's fans, Melodiest for Melody's fans, or Achanation for Ayana's fans. Each member of JKT48 has their own fanbase with different names.)

Several minutes later, Cleo's tweets was deleted by Official JKT48 (Also called JKT48 Operation Team/JOT). The same act like when Neneng Rosdiana (Ochi) announced her graduation via twitter. This act made many fans disappointed because for the second time, JOT didn't immediately follow that act with proper clarification.

Actually, other members also commented Cleo's statement, undirectly.
Sonya Pandamarwan's tweet : "Where is ur profesinalism?!! Hey!"

2. Cleo's Clarification on TV

On November 29th 2012, RCTI TV's infotainment program "Kabar-Kabari" broadcasted Cleo's clarification of her resignation from JKT48.

Someone from stage48 forum whose account name is Angga has translated this video. Many thanks for him.

Host : JKT48 is in turmoil. Cleopatra, one if the member we most paid attention to; suddenly stated that she’s quitting the Idol Group. What’s her reason for quitting ?
Narrator : JKT48 is in turmoil. One by one, the members started to leave the AKB48 sister group. After Neneng Rosediana aka Ochi quitting, Cleopatra’s is the next in line for quitting. It’s all started when she received a phone call from her Mom telling her that her brother is sick. Cleo was upset when one of the officials admonished her for receiving the call.
Cleopatra : It was when JKT48 is in a middle of a rehearsal for a pretty big event. My Mom then suddenly told me that my brother is in the hospital. It was then when one of the officials admonished me. I told that officials not to ever do that again since whenever I talked to my Mom, it was for something in importance. Not because I didn’t want to join the rehearsal whatsoever.
Cleopatra : But when we entered the briefing period, my choreographer advise me not to yell at the staffs like that again. The truth is, it wasn’t a yell. I just want the staffs to know what I said since the room was so crowded.
Narrator : The yelling incident is just the tip of the iceberg for the turmoil in JKT48. Since long, Cleo feels that the officials hate her for no apparent reason. Cleo that was predicted to be JKT48 leader is getting an opposition from the officials.
Cleopatra : Truth to be told, there’s a lot of oppression going on there. I came to the audition back then rather late. Since then, I don’t know why, there’s a lot of staffs who hates me while I myself really not sure whether I could join JKT48 or not. I’m number 13 at the audition and I got 2 stars and a circle on my number. I was told and explained that the 2 stars meant that I reserved the rights to be the leader and center.
Cleopatra : Back then, a staff told the members that she/he didn’t like me and if only I’m not Akimoto-sensei chosen one, he/she would definitely kicked me out of the group. And that was the defining moment when all the members thought that there’s no reason to befriend me since all the staffs hates me.
Narrator : Cleo’s quitting the group is obviously surprising. Since she was chosen as JKT48 member, she was known as a leading figure compared to the other members. She also one with so many fans.
Cleopatra : If you asked me whether I’m disappointed or not, I would say that I really am very disappointed. The reason I stayed here for a year is only for my fans. But this time I really am sorry if I quit since I can’t no longer bear to stay in JKT48.
Melody : It’s her own choice. There’s no reason one would quit if they have their drive and reason to stay here. But if she chose to have another career outside of JKT48, then go ahead. We support her decision.
Cleopatra : I hope JKT48 could continue their success even without me in there.

And... well... this news changed almost everything. At first, the fans were at Cleo's side, but because of this, many of them moved to JOT's side. Rumours start to develop, I'm not sure those rumours were true, but one of them told that JOT tried to replace her with Melody, the present center of JKT48.

"If she is really a person not to hate, she just has to prove it then."
"She resign from JKT48 un-elegantly, not like the previous graduated members."
"Center-wanna be."
"If she wants to do it all herself, she isn't fit to be a member JKT48 because in JKT48 not only one or two people. If indeed she is the center, at first when she was photographed with Aki-P she'll be placed on the side of the Aki-P. And if she is really the center or representative of JKT48 she'll be the double center in PV New Ship. If she blamed to Melody of it, she would just sound unprofessional because Melody just do command from JOT."
"It's okay for her to graduate, but attacking JOT like this is surely not liked."

Actually there were so many of them, but I think these above can represent everything.  Somehow, it's surprising to see the fans, from supporting her changed to abuse her. Her haters, maybe? But her true fans are of course, still exist. They planned a fan project by writing 1000 fanletters for her, how kind of them.
With this, we know that there won't be any graduation show at the Theater.


3. Final Announcement From JOT

Finally, on December 10th JOT made the announcement about Cleo's graduation.

Cleopatra Japri has proposed her resignation from all the activities of JKT48.
JKT48 Operation Team respect that decision and announce that Cleopatra has graduated from JKT48.

That is all our notification and thank you for your understanding.

JKT48 Operation Team

4. My Personal Thoughts

The first time I heard her reason of graduating, I thought "What? Just what did JOT has done?" It's normal to blame JOT because they always respond to almost everything unproperly or late. But after the news on infotainment programs, I became agree to some comments, and start to believe in JOT.

It's true that if she is a person not to be hated, she just has to prove it. Even though she isn't the center, she was still the front girls, right? She took Shinoda Mariko's position in Heavy Rotation, or we can say the 3rd top members. What I don't like is that she sounded like not feeling grateful for that position. Other members maybe wanted for that, but she leave it away.

It's true that compared to Melody or Shania, she has less Center Aura, in my point of view. She should be more patient, really. Even though the management didn't chose her as the Center, she can make the fans choose her. This happened in HKT48, right? At first the management chose Kodama Haruka as the center, but fans told the management by the results of the 4th General Election that they wanted Miyawaki Sakura as the center. It's not impossible for JKT48 to do the same.

Her graduation is disappointing, but at the same time very unfortunate. She is pretty cute, adorable, easy to identified, and talented. My senior at school has told me once that she don't like Cleo's reaction to anything, maybe because it was animashaun but not funny (actually that was what interesting from her). A friend of mine also commented her resignation, told me that it was unfortunate because in JKT48, she can only recognize her (because of her hairstyle).

Well, even though it was like this, I will still support her decision. I hope Cleo can find her own way to make her dreams come true.