Jakarta anniversary celebration opens

Jakarta anniversary celebration opens

Arya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Governor Sutiyoso officiated at the opening of the capital's
month-long 476th anniversary celebrations on Saturday evening
with a cultural parade that ended at the Jakarta History Museum
in West Jakarta.

"The theme for this year's anniversary is to improve Jakarta's
quality as a metropolitan city in providing services to the
public," Sutiyoso said in his address at the event.

The parade, starting at Sunda Kelapa traditional harbor and
winding through the historic Fatahillah area where the museum is
located, featured Betawi (native Jakartan) arts as well as those
from 30 other provinces.

Thousands of people flocked to Fatahillah Square outside the
museum to watch performances by the parade participants on a main
stage. Other city residents jostled for space at two other stages
near the Omni Batavia hotel.

One of the main attractions was a massive 226-meter-long liong
(Chinese dragon figure) that has earned a place in the Indonesian
Records Museum (MURI).

A 45-minute-long fireworks display capped the evening's
celebrations.

Upcoming anniversary events include the Jakarta Metropolitan
Rally on June 8, the official reception on June 22, which is the
anniversary date, and JakArt throughout the month of June. There
is also the Jakarta Great Sale, involving outlets at 14 malls.