Aceh Tamiang student overcomes disaster to qualify for national flag-hoisting squad

A student of SMA Negeri 2 Percontohan Karang Baru in Aceh Tamiang Regency, Zilqueensa Abintary Laudicia Simatupang, who survived a hydrometeorological disaster, has passed the selection to become a member of the national Paskibraka for 2026.

“Alhamdulillah, I ranked first at the Aceh level and progressed to the national stage. After passing all the tests, I was declared to have qualified to represent Aceh nationally,” said Zilqueensa in Banda Aceh on Tuesday.

The girl, who is familiarly known as Queen, was declared to have passed the national Paskibraka selection after going through the regional selection stages, representing Aceh alongside another student, M Hibban Annapis from SMA Modal Bangsa in Aceh Besar.

Queen explained that her qualification came after achieving first place in academic and physical examinations from the district level through to the provincial level, before finally passing the national test.

“I was declared to have passed after ranking first at the district selection, and first again at the provincial level,” she said.

She recounted that during the floods at the end of 2025, her house was submerged under four metres of water and filled with mud. The equipment belonging to her parents’ laundry business was also affected by the disaster.

Afterwards, her spirit to pursue her dream of becoming a Paskibraka member dimmed following the disaster, as her residential area was paralised and school activities were suspended for two months.

“But once conditions began to recover, I regained my spirit. I thought it was impossible that just because a disaster came, my spirit would fall. There was no way I was going to stop there — that is when I resolved to keep moving forward,” she said.

On this occasion, Queen also affirmed that she has prepared herself mentally and physically to serve as a national Paskibraka member at the forthcoming ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia.

“I am fully ready, mentally and physically, to carry out Paskibraka duties at the central level,” Zilqueensa asserted.

Meanwhile, the head of the National Unity and Politics Agency (Kesbangpol) of Aceh Tamiang, Agusliana Devita, stated that the Paskibraka selection in Aceh Tamiang had been carried out since February 2026, when conditions were not yet conducive.

The selection process itself made use of the roads in the office complex, as the available sports fields could not be used, including sports facilities that were at the time still occupied by displaced residents.

“Alhamdulillah, even though Aceh Tamiang was in a worrying condition, this did not dampen the children’s enthusiasm to take part in the selection, and 300 children registered,” she said.

Agusliana said that the students’ enthusiasm to take part in the Paskibraka selection was quite high. Although the region was still in a state of emergency, the process ran smoothly and they were able to send a representative to the national level. In fact, Aceh Tamiang’s representative managed to achieve first place at the provincial level.

“This is an achievement for Aceh Tamiang since the district was established. It is extraordinary — at a time when Aceh Tamiang was not in a good state, it produced a high-achieving child amid limitations. We are very proud,” Agusliana concluded.