Aceh Youth Leader Urges Certainty Regarding Status of Bulan Bintang Flag
Acehnese youth leader, Suryadi Djamil, also known as Surya, has requested that the Central Government and the Aceh Government immediately resolve the polemic regarding the status of the Bulan Bintang flag. According to him, legal certainty is required so that the issue is not continuously exploited for political interests or used to incite tension within the community.
Surya believes that the ambiguity surrounding the status of the Bulan Bintang flag provides space for certain parties to manipulate the issue. He noted that as long as a resolution is not reached, various problems in Aceh can easily be linked to the symbol.
“As long as the Bulan Bintang flag has not been officially authorised, it will actually benefit opposition parties that are against the Aceh Government as well as the Government of the Republic of Indonesia. They do not need to expend much effort or cost to provoke the people of Aceh, because this flag issue has become an easy source to manipulate,” Surya stated in an official statement on Sunday (30/08/2026).
He stated that the government needs to find a resolution through existing legal mechanisms. In his view, if the Bulan Bintang flag is ultimately agreed upon as a regional or traditional symbol, its use must be strictly regulated.
“If the Bulan Bintang flag is authorised as a regional flag with clear regulations, then the source of provocation that has thrived on this flag issue will disappear on its own. The important thing is that everything has certainty and clear rules,” he said.
Surya noted that such regulations could cover the position, function, and procedures for using the flag. With this certainty, he hopes the community will no longer be dragged into polemics regarding the symbol whenever regional issues arise.
“If its use must be regulated, then please regulate it well. For example, how its position and procedures of use are determined. The important thing is that there is certainty, so that the people of Aceh are not constantly provoked by flag issues,” he added.
According to Surya, the Bulan Bintang flag issue has recently frequently appeared in various community protests. He assessed that issues that could actually be resolved through dialogue and deliberation sometimes shift into symbolic disputes.
“Aceh today has become absurd. Every little thing involves the flag. There are issues regarding land, mining, or other problems, and in the end, it is the flag that is hoisted. This flag issue should be resolved immediately,” he said.
He warned that using symbols in every dispute has the potential to create incorrect perceptions regarding the security situation in Aceh. He maintained that, fundamentally, the people of Aceh uphold custom, etiquette, and the tradition of deliberation.