Historical flag may be moved from State Palace to Monas<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Jakarta people may soon have the chance to view the country's
\nmost important flag daily as the city administration is
\nattempting to move it from the State Place, where it has been
\nkept since 1945, to the Independence Room of the National
\nMonument (Monas).<\/p>\n
The move, however, will come with a price as the Jakarta
\nadministration will have to spend at least Rp 3 billion
\n(US$300,000) for preservation work on the flag, a security
\nsystem, lighting and ceremonial.<\/p>\n
\"The plan to move the flag to Monas as part of the preparation
\nfor Independence Day in 2006,\" said the director of the people's
\nwelfare unit at the Jakarta Development Planning Board (Bapeda),
\nTuty Kusumawati.<\/p>\n
She said that Governor Sutiyoso had also discussed with
\nPresident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono the possibility of moving the
\nindependence day commemoration ceremony from the State Place to
\nMonas in 2006.<\/p>\n
The flag-hoisting ceremony on independence day has always been
\nheld at the State Palace.<\/p>\n
The city administration has earmarked Rp 3 billion in its 2006
\nbudget for the flag's relocation. The draft budget is now being
\ndeliberated by city councillors.<\/p>\n
Head of the City Culture and Museum Agency Aurora Tambunan
\nsaid that security measures would include the setting up of a
\nclosed circuit television (CCTV) system in Monas' Independence
\nRoom.<\/p>\n
Tuty said that the city had initially allocated Rp 8 billion
\nfor the project, but the figure was revised downward after
\nrecalculation.<\/p>\n
The historical flag was hoisted on the country's first
\nIndependence Day on Aug. 17, 1945 and was sewn by then first lady
\nFatmawati, who was also the wife of founding president Soekarno.<\/p>\n
In 2003, the city administration also attempted to move the
\nflag to Monas, but the plan was dropped after strong criticism
\nfrom both city councillors and non-governmental organizations
\n(NGO) activists.<\/p>\n
On Monday, a number of councillors also expressed opposition
\nto the plan during a hearing between the City Council's
\nCommission E for education, health and people's welfare and the
\nJakarta Museums and Cultural Agency.<\/p>\n
\"I think it is going too far to spend such a large amount of
\nmoney just to move the flag from the State Palace to Monas, which
\nis only about one kilometer away,\" Commission E member Syamsidar
\nSiregar said during the hearing on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"It would be better if we allocated the money for a project
\nthat directly interested the public. We object to the allocation
\nof money for this purpose,\" said Syamsidar, a councillor from the
\nNational Mandate Party (PAN).<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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