A 17 by 8 metre Red and White flag was unfurled at the Grand Tarakan\nMall intersection in Tarakan City, North Kalimantan, during the\ncommemoration of the moment of the Proclamation of Indonesian\nIndependence on Monday.<\/p>\n
The unfurling of the flag involved around 30 people from the police,\ncommunity groups and the public at 11.17 WITA.<\/p>\n
As the moment of the Proclamation was commemorated, vehicles passing\nthrough the intersection came to a stop and the sirens of the Tarakan\nCity Government fire engines were sounded.<\/p>\n
Several drivers then got out of their vehicles and, together with\nmembers of the public, observed the commemoration of the Proclamation\nmoment and sang the national anthem Indonesia Raya while standing at\nattention.<\/p>\n
According to Che, the tradition of unfurling the large Red and White\nflag has been carried on since 2015.<\/p>\n
\u201cInitially our flag was about five metres long and three metres wide.\nWe then kept increasing its size until it is now 17 by 8 metres,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Che said the flag is prepared for the 17 August commemoration and is\nalso used in various activities with a nationalist theme.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven though some of our friends may rarely attend ceremonies\nanymore, we must not miss the moment of the Proclamation. We thought\nthere had to be something that could move them. In the end we chose to\nunfurl the Red and White flag,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Che said members of the public had begun arriving at the location\nfrom around 09.00 WITA even though the activity was only carried out at\n11.17 WITA.<\/p>\n
\u201cPublic enthusiasm was extraordinary. Our activity was at around\n11.17 WITA, but from 09.00 people had already arrived. Some even\ncontacted us to ask whether the activity would still go ahead,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis event is held every year, so it is a manifestation of our love\nfor the homeland,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to Ardi, the commemoration of independence is not only\ncarried out through formal ceremonies, but can also involve the public\ndirectly in remembering the struggle of the heroes.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/17-metre-flag-unfurled-at-proclamation-moment-in-tarakan-1786964084", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }