Welcome Monument gets little respect<\/p>\n
By Ida Indawati Khouw<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's first president Sukarno might have
\nbeen very upset if he had witnessed the Selamat Datang (Welcome)
\nmonument he built 37 years ago now being used by his people,
\nparticularly political party revelers, to fly parties' flags.<\/p>\n
Sukarno, who loved hygienic surroundings and was an art
\nadmirer, might even have reprimanded his daughter, Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, for allowing her PDI Perjuangan (Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party for Struggle) cadres to dishonor the monument by
\nclimbing the 47-meter structure to raise the party's flag and a
\ngiant banner of Megawati's portrait. The monument was built as a
\nsymbol of the friendliness of Indonesians to welcome participants
\nto the fourth Asian Games in 1962.<\/p>\n
The late president might have asked his driver to take him to
\nthe Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, where the monument is
\nlocated, to directly order the scores of food vendors to leave
\nthe site and try to appreciate art, beauty and cleanliness.<\/p>\n
But the former country's leader is dead.<\/p>\n
President B.J. Habibie, a brilliant engineer, has so far done
\nnothing to stop the people's abuse against the monument, which is
\none of the capital's most popular landmarks.<\/p>\n
Encircled with a 5,030-square-meter pond and a 2,825-square-
\nmeter plaza, the Selamat Datang monument depicts a 5.5-ton bronze
\nstatue of a seven-meter-tall happy couple standing on a 40-meter
\nfooting, waving their hands in the air with the female holding a
\nhandful of flowers.<\/p>\n
The monument, facing to the north, is designed by artist Edhi
\nSunarso. It was inaugurated by Sukarno in 1962.<\/p>\n
It was placed on purpose in front of Hotel Indonesia, which at
\nthat time was the only prestigious hotel and building in Jakarta.
\nThe hotel was also used for all participants of the fourth Asian
\nGames.<\/p>\n
For years, the couple had never been touched by unauthorized
\npeople except workers, who were especially hired to clean the
\nmonument, until Monday when some PPP (United Development Party)
\nsupporters bravely scaled the monument by climbing up the
\nelectrical steel cables to place their party's flags on the
\ncouple's bodies.<\/p>\n
The maneuver, which was then run on the front page of many
\ndailies the next day, was repeated by supporters of other
\ncontesting parties in the following days during the campaigning
\nperiod.<\/p>\n
Beginning last week, the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle has
\nbeen chosen by many parties' revelers as the meeting point for
\nthem to air their party's slogans and to show off, causing a
\nheavy congestion every day.<\/p>\n
The supporters thronged to the site driving in thousands of
\nvehicles, including trucks, buses, cars, and motorcycles,
\nalthough the government prohibited such campaign rallies.<\/p>\n
Sadly, the first party supporters that allegedly violated the
\nrule were Megawati's party fans on May 24.<\/p>\n
The appearance of thousands of PDI Perjuangan supporters
\nchallenged cadres of other parties to follow the violation as the
\nauthorities imposed no sanctions.<\/p>\n
The heavy number of people then enticed food vendors and
\nstreet traders selling party attributes to flock to the scene.<\/p>\n
As a result, the water of the pond has turned muddy and been
\nlittered with trash. The six lotuses in the pond are already
\ndead.<\/p>\n
In short, the landmark has lost its beauty only in several
\ndays.<\/p>\n
Party revelers have been competing with other party supporters
\nto hoist their flags on the bodies of the Selamat Datang's
\ncouple.<\/p>\n
Many blamed Governor Sutiyoso for his administration's
\ninability to provide a proper public square for the supporters of
\nthe contesting parties to voice slogans during the campaigning
\ndays.<\/p>\n
Besides placing flags, the parties' supporters also staged
\nvarious entertainment beneath the monument.<\/p>\n
"I think it will be less satisfying if we can't campaign here.
\nMoreover, it is our chance to enjoy the place as it's a rare
\noccasion to gather here during the otherwise ordinary days," said
\na female supporter of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) during the
\nparty campaign on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Head of the Jakarta public road's electrical agency IGKG Suena
\nsaid that several decorating lamps and water pumps surrounding
\nthe statue were broken.<\/p>\n
"However, we haven't checked the overall damages let alone the
\ncost for the repairmen. We will wait until the campaign is
\nover," he said.<\/p>",
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