Festival Rasuna sets longest breakfast table record

Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

On the second day of the Festival Rasuna 2004, a national record was achieved during breakfast, when participants dined at a 1,114-meter-long chain of tables. The record, the first of its kind, was recognized by the Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI) on Sunday.

"We have confirmed that the chain of tables, with a length of 1,114 meters, is the longest for any breakfast event held in Indonesia," said MURI manager Paulus Pangka, who authorized the record setting.

Staged in the soccer stadium of Pasar Festival complex on Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, South Jakarta, more than 5,000 people joined the event despite the morning drizzle.

The event kicked off at 8 a.m.

The participants, mostly employees of main sponsor Bakrie & Brothers and their families, had earlier joined a morning walk on the streets nearby Pasar Festival, before gathering in the stadium to enjoy a hot meal of ketupat sayur (steamed rice wrapped in banana leaves and served with other dishes).

With three other officials from the Semarang-based museum, founded by jamu (herbal medicine) businessman Jaya Suprana, Paulus measured the length of the chain of tables. The tables were arranged from the stadium's south entrance gate and coiled around its running track in three loops. The officials presented MURI's certificate to Aburizal Bakrie, co-owner of Bakrie & Brothers.

Dina, an employee of Bakrie & Brothers' subsidiary company Bakrie Swasakti Utama, said that she was proud to join the event.

However, several employees had no idea that a record was being set until it was officially announced. Others thought that the record could not be achieved because many participants had been reluctant to sit at the drenched tables.

The festival, organized by Indo.com, is aimed at supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) throughout the country, whose contribution to the recovery of the economy has been enormous but whose existence is often ignored.

From 300 available booths at the festival, 267 were occupied. Some 38 of those were occupied by Bakrie & Brothers' business affiliates and 42 others occupied by SMEs, which are in partnership with Bakrie and Brothers.

The festival's committee also gave away door-prizes and awarded successful SMEs under Bina Mitra Bakrie Foundation (YBMB).

Popular Indonesian rapper, Iwa K., also performed at the event.