Float parade entertains thousands of Jakartans

JAKARTA (JP): Tens of thousands of Jakartans turned out yesterday to watch 81 colorful floats parade from National Monument (Monas) square along Jl. Thamrin and Jl. Jend. Sudirman in Central Jakarta.

People began piling into the square and lining the streets an hour before President Soeharto kicked off the parade at 7:30 a.m. from the southern part of the square.

The annual parade commemorated Indonesia's 52nd Independence Day and Jakarta's 470th birthday.

Vice President Try Sutrisno and his wife, Mrs. Tuti Try Sutrisno accompanied the President to the ceremony.

They watched the parade from a special stage with ministers, Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja, and other invitees, including ambassadors.

Hundreds of birds and balloons were released before the parade, which was highlighted by performances from 14 marching bands.

The famous Tarakanita marching band, performed Bangun Pemuda (Youth Awaken) in front of the special stage, to mark the start of the parade. The band was followed by dozens of youths carrying red-and-white flags.

The first float carried the Garuda eagle and symbols of the country's 27 provinces.

Floats with dragons, monkeys, and other animals, including the Hanoman monkey, the symbol of the SEA Games, entertained the spectators.

Some parents and their children had their pictures taken next to the floats as they waited their turn in the square.

There were floats from government institutions, state companies, private firms and foundations.

Floats from government institutions mostly demonstrated their successes in the form of buildings.

The City Planning Office's float had models of the Monas monument and other skyscrapers, including the new Menara Jakarta tower, planned to be the tallest in Indonesia.

People applauded as float attendants, who included some local comedians, greeted them.

Some of the floats were stripped by the time they reached the Semanggi cloverleaf, as their flowers were taken by spectators.

"It's a souvenir of the parade," said a couple on a motorcycle with their child, after snatching a flower from a passing float.

In spite of the blazing sun, many spectators waited until last float, from state-owned cement company Semen Gowa of South Sulawesi, passed. (jun)