'Historic car' enters Yogyakarta museum

'Historic car' enters Yogyakarta museum

Tarko Sudiarno, Yogyakarta, The Jakarta Post

The provincial government of Yogyakarta has decided to put one of
its cars in a museum as a historical item.

The car was used by Yogyakarta Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X to
pacify protesters during the reformation movement four years ago.

"At the height of student protests demanding political reform
on May 16, 1998 on Jl. Wirobrajan, the Sultan stood atop the car
and succeeded in preventing a possible riot," head of the
Regional Information Office, Karyono was quoted as saying by
Antara on Saturday during the presentation ceremony.

Karyono presented the car to the Sultan who then presented it
to the head of Beteng Vrederberg Museum, Budihardja.

The car was presented in the compound of Ambarukmo Hotel.

Riots broke out in a number of cities throughout the country,
including in the nearby city of Surakarta, during the week which
saw the fall of former autocratic leader Soeharto on May 21,
1998.

The riots claimed more than 2,200 lives and inflicted losses
amounting to Rp 2.5 trillion (US$268 million). Four thousand
shops and more than 1,000 motor vehicles and houses were torched.

But the car is only part of the story as a recent talk with
Prince Joyokusumo unveiled.

The Sultan had been practicing a mystical ritual during those
critical weeks, Joyokusumo said, including fasting and conducting
a kirab, that is carrying an object believed to be sacred.

The object being carried around in several cities during one
of the nights during the critical week was the Kanjeng Kyai
Pamuk, an 18th century legacy of Sultan Hamengku Buwono I.

"The Pamuk is a simple whip made of rattan about one meter
long. The first Sultan used the whip when he was riding his
horse," Joyokusumo told The Jakarta Post.

The sacred object is believed to be able to alleviate anarchy.

Joyokusumo said he accompanied the Sultan in a Toyota Land
Cruiser with a driver from the Javanese court in Yogyakarta to
Muntilan, Magelang, Ambarawa, Salatiga, Boyolali, Kartasura,
Delanggu, Klaten and back to Yogyakarta.

"The car may not pass the same road twice and must not enter
the city of Surakarta," Joyokusumo said.

Formerly part of the one kingdom of Mataram, Yogyakarta and
Surakarta later split into two rival kingdoms.

"Believe it or not," Joyokusumo said, "when at one point the
car inadvertently entered a road heading toward Surakarta the car
developed engine trouble."

"The lights went off and the driver tried to repair the car
without success. But when the Sultan asked the driver to make a
U-turn, the engine and the lights returned to normal."

Now we have come to know that all the cities through which the
Pamuk passed were untouched by anarchy, said Joyokusumo.