State Secretariat Releases Official Guidelines for 81st Indonesian Independence Day Ceremony
The Ministry of State Secretariat (Kemensetneg) has released comprehensive guidelines for the 81st Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia (HUT ke-81 RI) ceremony. The guidelines cover dress regulations, the ceremony’s order of events, and the main activities for the independence commemoration. The guidelines are set out in Circular Letter of the Minister of State Secretary Number: B-13/M/S/TU.00.03/08/2026. The letter, dated 11 August 2026, was signed by Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, with copies sent to the President and Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia.
For the Indonesian public, particularly those entrusted with organising the 81st Independence Day events, the ministerial circular serves as a crucial reference. The order of events applies to the secretariats of state institutions, ministries, agencies, regional governments, State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), and Regionally-Owned Enterprises (BUMD). The ceremony begins with preparations at 06:45 WIB as troops enter the venue, followed by the main event at 07:00 WIB, which includes the hoisting of the Red and White Flag accompanied by the national anthem, a moment of silence, and the reading of the Pancasila, the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution, and the Proclamation of Independence.
The Independence Day ceremony at the Merdeka Palace will be attended by President Prabowo Subianto as the inspector of the ceremony. Invited guests include ministers of the Red and White Cabinet, the Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Chief of the Indonesian National Police (Kapolri), and members of the general public. Male invitees are requested to wear beskap, teluk belanga, or a civil service uniform with a touch of Indonesian textiles, while female invitees are asked to wear traditional Indonesian attire with red and white accents.
The circular also outlines several public advisories. Citizens are encouraged to watch the live broadcast of the President’s state address on 14 August 2026 at 08:30 and 14:30 WIB via television or radio. Regional heads are advised to broadcast the palace ceremony on large screens in public spaces. Government and state enterprise employees are urged to hold ceremonies at their respective offices, concluding before the national ceremony begins. The public is also invited to participate in the People’s Party (Pesta Rakyat) on 17 August 2026 from 07:00 to 22:00 WIB at the National Monument (Monas) and the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout in Jakarta. Additionally, all citizens are asked to pause their activities on 17 August 2026 from 10:17 to 10:20 WIB to sing the national anthem, ‘Indonesia Raya’.