Millions remember Sukarno, Indonesia's founding father
JAKARTA (JP): As the founding father of this country, first president Sukarno had a radiant personality.
Not only was he a brilliant orator and politician, but he was also known as a charismatic leader, engineer, art lover and an unquestionably handsome man.
That is why his popularity has never faded, despite his various shortcomings.
If he were alive today, he would be 100 years old. And if he were here, he would see millions of people across the country applaud him in commemoration of his centennial anniversary.
A series of activities has been organized, from seminars to a golf tournament.
Some 50,000 people, including President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, are expected to attend the ceremony at a sports center named after him, Gelora Bung Karno, in Senayan, Central Jakarta on Wednesday.
The official event is to start at 2 p.m. and will end five hours later. It will be followed by a public fair in the east parking lot until 11 p.m.
After attending the ceremony, Megawati, who is Sukarno's daughter, will appear on a talk show on private TV station TPI hosted by famous comedian and businessman Jaya Suprana, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) deputy secretary-general, Pramono Anung, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
The talk show will be aired at 9:30 p.m.
In commemoration of Sukarno's centennial anniversary, a charity golf tournament is scheduled to take place at Ancol Golf Course, North Jakarta, on June 30.
Sukarno's other daughter, Rachmawati Soekarno, is a patron of the tournament's organizing committee.
In Blitar, East Java, the number of visitors to Sukarno's grave located in Bendogerit village has reportedly increased in the past month.
"Since early May, there were some 20,000 visitors a day. But starting this month, the number has increased to 25,000 visitors a day," Yusuf, a guard at the graveyard, told Antara.
Yusuf said the rise in visitors happens annually around June, but this year was higher as it was also the month of Prophet Muhammad's anniversary.
"People from all over the country think that visiting the grave is to be given blessings," he said.
The number of visitors who went to Sukarno's family house at Jl. Sultan Agung 58, Blitar, has also increased to 2,500 people a day.
The climax of celebrations in Blitar will take place on June 20 with a 24 hour recital of the Koran at the grave.
Historian Anhar Gonggong sees the frenzy over Sukarno as something natural.
"Indonesians have been looking for an ideal leader, an honest one. Since there hasn't been any after Sukarno's period, instead of looking to the future, people are looking back at the past," Anhar told the Post over the phone.
Admiration for Sukarno has also increased, he said, because his successor, former president Soeharto, banned anything related to Sukarno.
"He also excluded Sukarno's family from almost every activity. Now, since it's more free, people are commemorating it," he said.
Gold coins
In commemoration of Sukarno's centennial anniversary, Hong Kong-based companies Gold Quest International and B.H. Mayers Mint will launch 10,000 gold coins on Wednesday.
Sukarno's daughter Sukmawati Sukarno is scheduled to attend the launch at the Jakarta Hilton Convention Center.
"The price is US$800, excluding shipping and handling costs," Liz Andi, the public relations consultant of Fortune PR, who is arranging the event, told the Post on Tuesday.
Bank Indonesia will also launch the gold coins.
"There's no special reason. We're just honoring our founding father. Besides, we've never issued any commemorative coins before in BI's history," central bank spokesman Halim Alamsyah told the Post.
He did not elaborate on the nominal value of the coin, but said it would be launched soon. (hdn/nvn/yan/dja)