Independence Day celebrations announced

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

City residents will have several options to celebrate and commemorate the 57th anniversary of Indonesia's independence across the city ranging from cultural events to exhibitions.

The City Park Agency, for example, is giving away 5,000 fruit plant seedlings during the 2002 Jakarta Flona (Flora and Fauna) Fair held from Aug. 2 until Aug. 19 at Lapangan Banteng square in Central Jakarta.

"The seedlings will be distributed free to visitors as long as they can produce a Jakarta identity card (KTP)," the agency's head, Mauritz Napitupulu, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The agency will provide rambutan, durian, mango and starfruit seedlings.

The agency is also organizing a sheep-fighting event on Sunday and a cock-fighting competition on Aug. 18.

Separately, the chairman of the anniversary committee, Djailani, told the Post that the Flona Fair was only one of more than 100 events organized by the city administration to commemorate Independence Day.

"Other events include flag-hoisting ceremonies and paying a visit to Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery," he said.

"We are also going to provide entertainment shows for city residents to commemorate Independence Day."

Among the entertainment shows are Panggung Merdeka (independence celebrations) to be staged on Aug. 18 at National Monument Square (Monas) and a wayang kulit (shadow puppet) show on Aug. 20 to be performed in front of Merdeka Palace.

"Insya Allah, President Megawati Soekarnoputri will attend the Panggung Merdeka event," said Djailani, who is Jakarta's deputy governor for social welfare affairs.

Djailani failed to give a specific budget for all the events, saying it was residents' participation.

Meanwhile, city spokesman Muhayat said events related to city agencies would be covered by the City Budget through their own routine spending.

"But we are encouraging companies to sponsor the entertainment events."