From a very young age, Omas became familiar with the stage of traditional Betawi lenong, a form of folk theater that combines comedy, drama, and music. As reported by Kompas and later cited by several national entertainment media outlets, Omas began actively participating in lenong performances at around the age of seven, performing alongside her family’s lenong troupe. It was on these community stages that her natural talent for acting and comedy first became apparent, earning her recognition within local artistic circles long before her name appeared in the national television entertainment industry.
The early phase of Omas’s career in lenong marked a formative period that shaped her creative identity. According to interviews published in national media, the lenong stage taught her how to engage directly with audiences, improvise dialogue, and understand the rhythm of Betawi comedy, which relies heavily on social awareness and situational sensitivity. These experiences not only honed her technical skills as a comedian but also instilled in her a deep love for Betawi art and culture, values that would later become central to her life journey and professional career.
As time passed, Omas gradually entered the world of Indonesian television and soap operas. According to records from Kompas, her frequent appearances as a supporting actress in various popular television dramas made her an increasingly familiar figure among the public. She appeared in numerous titles such as Jodoh Apa Bodoh, Matahariku, Upik Abu dan Laura, Cinta Fitri, Yang Muda yang Bercinta, Akibat Pernikahan Dini, Anak-Anak Manusia, and Fatih di Kampung Jawara. Her spontaneous humor, strong facial expressions, and grounded character portrayals made her performances memorable to television audiences across different regions of Indonesia.
In addition to soap operas, as reported by national entertainment media, Omas frequently appeared in comedy shows and other entertainment programs, demonstrating her flexibility as a comedian who could transition from traditional stages to television without losing her distinctive identity. She consistently presented herself as a Betawi comedian who was honest, genuine, and closely connected to everyday social realities, making her humor feel sincere and easily embraced by audiences across generations.
Beyond the entertainment industry, Omas was known for her strong concern for the preservation of Betawi culture. According to Kompas, together with her siblings she established PANGSI (Pelestarian Sanggar Seni Budaya Betawi), a Betawi cultural arts preservation studio located in Depok, West Java. The studio served as a space for learning and cultural regeneration, introducing younger generations to lenong, Betawi music, and other traditional art forms, as a tangible effort to protect Betawi cultural heritage from being eroded by the increasing dominance of modern entertainment.
Omas’s personal life was also marked by significant challenges. As reported by Kompas and KapanLagi, she married Madi Pribadi in 1995 and had three children: Muhammad Rizky Dioambiah, Dimas Aji Septian, and Dinda Olivia. However, the marriage ended in divorce in 2002. From that point on, Omas lived as a single parent, raising her children through hard work while continuing to sustain her career in the entertainment world, a dual role she carried out with resilience, responsibility, and determination.
At the height of her popularity during the 1990s and early 2000s, Omas was recognized as one of Indonesia’s most prominent female comedians. According to numerous national media reports, she was loved not only for her comedic abilities but also for her warm, humble, and down-to-earth personality. She often delivered humor drawn from everyday life, making the laughter she created feel intimate and deeply connected to the lived experiences of many people.
Off stage, as revealed in various media interviews, Omas was also known to enjoy sports, particularly football, which she considered one of her favorite activities amid her busy schedule. This aspect of her life reflected her energetic personality and her appreciation for simple pleasures that brought her happiness, far removed from the glamour of the entertainment world.
As she entered a more mature stage of life, Omas gradually reduced her artistic activities. According to Kompas, at around the age of 52 she decided to stop accepting offers for daily or striping soap operas due to health concerns and considerations of quality of life. She chose instead to focus on her family and cultural preservation activities through her arts studio, while still occasionally appearing in entertainment programs according to her physical condition.
In the final years of her life, Omas’s health was reported to have declined. As reported by Kompas TV, she suffered from diabetes and chronic lung disease, conditions she had endured for quite some time. Nevertheless, she remained known as a cheerful figure who rarely complained publicly about her illness. On the night of July 16, 2020, Omaswati passed away at her residence in Cimanggis, Depok, at the age of 54, leaving profound grief for her family, friends, fellow artists, and the wider public.
According to many national media outlets, Omas’s passing not only marked the end of the life of a beloved comedian but also left behind an important legacy in Indonesian performing arts. Her laughter, simplicity, and dedication to Betawi culture have secured her place in the history of Indonesian folk comedy, remembered as an artist who remained faithful to her cultural roots and who brought joy through art until the very end of her life.
Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CCtTgm9nGy8/
Sources:
"Mengenang perjalanan karier Omas dari lenong Betawi hingga sinetron televisi", diakses dari https://www.kompas.com/tren/read/2020/07/16/221705665/mengenang-perjalanan-karier-omas-dari-lenong-betawi-hingga-sinetron-kejar?page=all, tanggal 19 Januari 2026.
"Omas meninggal dunia di usia 54 tahun, duka bagi dunia hiburan Indonesia", diakses dari https://www.kompas.tv/nasional/94698/omas-meninggal-di-usia-54-tahun-duka-mendalam-bagi-dunia-hiburan, tanggak 19 Januari 2026.
"Perjalanan karier Omas, pelawak Betawi yang setia pada seni tradisi", diakses dari https://kumparan.com/berita-hari-ini/perjalanan-karier-omas-pelawak-yang-cinta-kesenian-betawi-1tosUnpPob5, tanggal 19 Januari 2026.
"Fakta perjalanan hidup Omas, pelawak Betawi dari masa kecil hingga akhir hayat", diakses dari https://www.kapanlagi.com/showbiz/selebriti/7-fakta-meninggalnya-omaswati-sang-komedian-legend-betawi-di-usia-54-tahun-cf6936.html, tanggal 19 Januari 2026.