Entering the third month, the Presidential Palace Guard Handoff becomes a must-see attraction at Car-Free Day
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The changing of the guard ceremony at Merdeka Palace, or Serah Terima Kawal Istana Merdeka, has become a must-see attraction eagerly awaited by the public thronging the car-free day (CFD) every Sunday morning along the protocol roads around the palace.
Since it was first held in February 2024, the Serah Terima Kawal Istana Merdeka procession has been routinely conducted right on Jalan Medan Merdeka Utara, Jakarta, every Sunday at 08:00 WIB, including today coinciding with CFD hours in the Central Jakarta area.
Hundreds of residents from various regions have been spilling onto the streets of Medan Merdeka Utara up to the Taman Pandang area opposite Merdeka Palace since 07:00 WIB.
Among those groups of residents, there are also several motorcycle communities, from Vespa, RX King, to PCX groups from the Jabodetabek area, joining in anticipation of the Serah Terima Kawal Istana Merdeka procession.
The series of events for the Serah Terima Kawal Istana Merdeka begins around 07:30 WIB, kicked off by a performance from two female motorcyclists who are Paspampres members showcasing their zigzag riding skills at high speed.
The act by the two female Paspampres members was immediately met with enthusiastic applause from the public who had already crowded the road in front of Merdeka Palace’s gate.
After the two female motorcyclists performed, six motorcyclists from the State Protocol Guard Battalion of Paspampres continued by demonstrating their ability to ride motorcycles in a zigzag pattern from two different directions at high speed.
Following the motorcyclists’ display, a group of female Paspampres soldiers proceeded to present a spontaneous dance performance that turned into a flash mob after being joined by the public.
Several hit songs, such as Gemu Fa Mi Re (Maumere), accompanied the flash mob and were enthusiastically received by residents who followed the dance moves led by Paspampres.
The ceremony proceeded solemnly
At exactly 08:00 WIB, the lively atmosphere in front of Merdeka Palace turned solemn. Residents awaiting the changing of the guard ceremony at Merdeka Palace collectively cleared the central area of the road and followed the proceedings with reverence.
Then, the mounted troops from the Paspampres Cavalry Battalion entered slowly into the middle of the road in front of Merdeka Palace, followed by several soldiers in special uniforms complete with rifles.
After that, the ceremony concluded with a photo session with the public alongside the Paspampres mounted troops and other guard soldiers.
The Paspampres troops participating in the Serah Terima Kawal Istana Merdeka wore special uniforms, one of which is used when soldiers welcome state guests.
That photo session was lively, especially when colourful Vespa motorcycles from the community were parked right in front of the guard troops, capturing moments of togetherness in front of Merdeka Palace.