Free Pertamax for Reciting Proclamation Text at Jembrana Petrol Station
A petrol station in Jembrana, Bali, found a unique way to celebrate Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day on Monday (17/8/2026). SPBU Sudirman, located on the Denpasar-Gilimanuk main road, held a challenge inviting customers to recite the Proclamation Text or the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution in exchange for free Pertamax fuel.
According to observations at the site, several residents queuing for fuel enthusiastically took part in the challenge. However, by 11.00 Wita, only two participants had managed to recite the texts fluently and entirely from memory.
Adding to the festive atmosphere, morning-shift petrol station staff served customers while dressed in attire evoking the independence struggle, with some even wearing costumes resembling war veterans.
The manager of SPBU Sudirman, Iskandar Alfan, said the activity was organised to encourage the public to deepen their love for the homeland on Independence Day.
“This year is a bit different. It is not just a challenge, but our petrol station employees, especially those working the morning shift, are wearing clothing with a patriotic theme,” Iskandar said.
Iskandar explained that the unique initiative aimed to foster a spirit of nationalism, particularly among the younger generation, while also honouring the services of the nation’s independence heroes.
“We saw several people take part earlier. Some could recite from memory and some could not. Those who memorised one of the texts received two litres of free Pertamax, and those who memorised both received four litres. The activity runs until 12.00 Wita,” Iskandar explained.
One resident from Budeng, 14-year-old Putu Cahya Ananta Putra, successfully secured free fuel after reciting the Proclamation Text. He admitted that he had only just memorised the text after hearing about the challenge from his mother.
“I got two litres. I only found out about it from my mother, so I came straight here. After about an hour of studying, I finally managed it and got free fuel,” said the junior high school student.