90 floats to join national parade on development

JAKARTA (JP): Some 90 floats representing government institutions, state-owned companies, private firms and foundations are scheduled to take part in the national development parade on Sunday, an official said yesterday.

Prawoto Danoemihardjo, assistant to the city secretary in charge of development affairs, told reporters that the 90 floats will include 20 from central government institutions, 11 from regional administrations, 26 from state-owned companies, two from foundations, and 15 vehicles from the Nusantara Flower Group.

The parade, to be kicked off by President Soeharto at the National Monument (Monas) square, is part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Indonesia's independence by over 30 large-scale parties, Prawoto said.

Besides the floats, the parade will also include 19 marching bands, an ondel-ondel art group and a group of male roller skaters, he said.

Prawoto said that in the first stage the floats, marching bands, the ondel-ondel group and the skaters will parade from Monas along Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat and Jl. M.H. Thamrin to the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle.

From the traffic circle only the floats will continue the parade along Jl. Sudirman, Jl. Gatot Subroto, Jl. MT Haryono, Jl. DI. Panjaitan, Jl. A. Yani, Jl. R. Suprapto, Jl. Kramat Bunder, Jl. Senen Raya, Jl. Dr. Wahidin, Jl. Gunung Sahari, Jl. Dr. Sutomo, Jl. Gedung Kesenian, Jl. Lapangan Banteng Utara, Jl. Kathedral, Jl. Veteran and Jl. Majapahit and back to Monas.

Prawoto said that the procession is scheduled to start with a launching ceremony at 7:30 a.m. and the whole parade is expected to last until about 1:30 p.m. "All invitees are suggested to arrive at the ceremony scene about thirty minutes earlier," he said.

The ceremony, taking place at the former stage of Kenduri Nasional party on Aug. 19 when about one million people thronged Monas square, will also be attended by First Lady Tien Soeharto, Vice President and Mrs. Try Sutrisno as well as 2,000 other invitees.

A music group from the Indonesian Navy Headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, will present songs at the ceremony to make it more lively, he said.

He said that the opening dance will be presented by the City Culture Office, entitled Gelar Derap Persada Indonesia which will be directed by Wiwiek Widiyastuti and Joko SS. It will be followed with the release of 2,000 red and white balloons, 100 of which will be filled with vouchers worth Rp 50,000 (US$22.09).

Prawoto, who is also the coordinator of the parade, has invited the public to see the parade, stating that there will be no special places or facilities provided for them.

"We will not provide special facilities due to the limited fund," he said.

He urged the public to be disciplined when watching the parade and not to destroy any sidewalk greenery. "I need not explain further about what 'discipline' means. People should know all the implications," he said.

He urged motorists not wanting to see the parade to avoid the route the floats will take.

More than 2,000 officers from the City Security and Order Office, including policemen from the City Police Headquarters, will be deployed to keep public order during the parade, he added. (32)