Welcome Monument gets little respect

By Ida Indawati Khouw

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's first president Sukarno might have been very upset if he had witnessed the Selamat Datang (Welcome) monument he built 37 years ago now being used by his people, particularly political party revelers, to fly parties' flags.

Sukarno, who loved hygienic surroundings and was an art admirer, might even have reprimanded his daughter, Megawati Soekarnoputri, for allowing her PDI Perjuangan (Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle) cadres to dishonor the monument by climbing the 47-meter structure to raise the party's flag and a giant banner of Megawati's portrait. The monument was built as a symbol of the friendliness of Indonesians to welcome participants to the fourth Asian Games in 1962.

The late president might have asked his driver to take him to the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, where the monument is located, to directly order the scores of food vendors to leave the site and try to appreciate art, beauty and cleanliness.

But the former country's leader is dead.

President B.J. Habibie, a brilliant engineer, has so far done nothing to stop the people's abuse against the monument, which is one of the capital's most popular landmarks.

Encircled with a 5,030-square-meter pond and a 2,825-square- meter plaza, the Selamat Datang monument depicts a 5.5-ton bronze statue of a seven-meter-tall happy couple standing on a 40-meter footing, waving their hands in the air with the female holding a handful of flowers.

The monument, facing to the north, is designed by artist Edhi Sunarso. It was inaugurated by Sukarno in 1962.

It was placed on purpose in front of Hotel Indonesia, which at that time was the only prestigious hotel and building in Jakarta. The hotel was also used for all participants of the fourth Asian Games.

For years, the couple had never been touched by unauthorized people except workers, who were especially hired to clean the monument, until Monday when some PPP (United Development Party) supporters bravely scaled the monument by climbing up the electrical steel cables to place their party's flags on the couple's bodies.

The maneuver, which was then run on the front page of many dailies the next day, was repeated by supporters of other contesting parties in the following days during the campaigning period.

Beginning last week, the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle has been chosen by many parties' revelers as the meeting point for them to air their party's slogans and to show off, causing a heavy congestion every day.

The supporters thronged to the site driving in thousands of vehicles, including trucks, buses, cars, and motorcycles, although the government prohibited such campaign rallies.

Sadly, the first party supporters that allegedly violated the rule were Megawati's party fans on May 24.

The appearance of thousands of PDI Perjuangan supporters challenged cadres of other parties to follow the violation as the authorities imposed no sanctions.

The heavy number of people then enticed food vendors and street traders selling party attributes to flock to the scene.

As a result, the water of the pond has turned muddy and been littered with trash. The six lotuses in the pond are already dead.

In short, the landmark has lost its beauty only in several days.

Party revelers have been competing with other party supporters to hoist their flags on the bodies of the Selamat Datang's couple.

Many blamed Governor Sutiyoso for his administration's inability to provide a proper public square for the supporters of the contesting parties to voice slogans during the campaigning days.

Besides placing flags, the parties' supporters also staged various entertainment beneath the monument.

"I think it will be less satisfying if we can't campaign here. Moreover, it is our chance to enjoy the place as it's a rare occasion to gather here during the otherwise ordinary days," said a female supporter of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) during the party campaign on Wednesday.

Head of the Jakarta public road's electrical agency IGKG Suena said that several decorating lamps and water pumps surrounding the statue were broken.

"However, we haven't checked the overall damages let alone the cost for the repairmen. We will wait until the campaign is over," he said.