Residents prepare for Independence celebrations

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

As Aug. 17 is drawing near, the city is overtaken by an atmosphere of joyous celebration.

People have started to decorate the neighborhoods with the national red-and-white flags, banners and umbul-umbul (decorative flags) to observe Independence Day.

The appeal to beautify the city was made by no less than Governor Sutiyoso himself in one of his circulars.

Not only the ordinary people, but all building owners and management have been urged to decorate their buildings.

The administration has also set up a special committee to handle activities related to the independence anniversary.

The committee has appointed a consortium of several outdoor advertising companies to handle the placement of umbul-umbul in commercial spots in the city.

"The appointment of this consortium is to prevent certain parties from taking the opportunity to extort companies, who want to place their names on the umbul-umbul," committee chairman Djailani told The Jakarta Post over the weekend. It is also meant to prevent any leakage of the funds generated from the taxation on the banners or umbul-umbul, as had happened in the past.

Companies or residents may put their names on the banners and umbul-umbul in public places, but they have to pay as it is considered an outdoor promotional ad.

The city is not only erecting umbul-umbul but also other urban decorations.

The Jakarta Street Lighting and Utility Agency, for example, placed 32 new decorative lights in four designs in addition to the 911 existing decorative lights citywide.

"Each unit costs about Rp 5 million on average. The structure is seven meters high," the agency's official responsible for the decorative lighting, Chairil Anwar, said.

"Two of the designs are basically old ones and the others are different designs."

City councillors Posman Siahaan and Sayogo Hendrosubroto supported the idea to encourage business enterprises to take part in brightening up the celebrations.

"Decorating the city is one way to express our gratitude for our freedom. It is what we can do to thank our heroes," said Sayogo of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction.

"But it must not stop there as the most important thing is how to foster our sense of nationalism and patriotism."

Sharing the same opinion, Posman said that such a drive to beautify the city was the responsibility of all residents.

"This is how we show our love for our country and our city," he said. "Who does not want to have a beautiful city?"

But Posman, from the Justice and Unity Party (PKP) faction, quickly added that there were more things to do than just decorate the city.

"The most important thing is how to create an awareness among residents of how important our independence is.

"We can't achieve such an awareness just by ceremonial activities. But as a start it is fine."

Meanwhile, Deddy Iriawan who manages an architectural firm on Jl. Dharmawangsa in South Jakarta said that his company always hoisted a red-and-white flag in celebration of Independence Day, but did not decorate the building due to financial constraints.