BROADER OPPORTUNITIES FOR GENERAL PUBLIC TO WITNESS INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS by Fardah

Jakarta, Aug 17, 2016 (Antara) - Indonesia's Independence Day celebrations at the presidential palace are no longer exclusively for VIPs, as members of the general public have been given opportunities to personally participate in the ceremony since last year.

       Moreover, this year, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has offered broader opportunities to the common people to attend the commemoration of the 71st anniversary of the country's independence that falls on August 17.

       Jokowi led the ceremony highlighted by the hoisting of Indonesia's Red and White flag at the Merdeka Palace in the morning.

       First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo, Vice President M Jusuf Kalla and spouse Mufidah Kalla, several cabinet ministers, and veterans also attended the ceremony.

       Among the VIPs also present at the event were former president Megawati Soekarnoputri and former vice presidents Boediono and Try Sutrisno.     
  Some 2,210 members of the working class were also invited to the ceremony on August 17, 2016. Of the total, 1,210 people were invited to attend the flag hoisting ceremony in the morning and the rest for the afternoon flag-lowering ceremony.

       Head of the Presidential Secretariat Darmansjah Djumala had earlier remarked that some 70 percent of the total invitees were members of the general public and 30 percent were high-ranking officials and other VIPs.

       "The people were invited to participate in the celebration and share the feeling of independence," he pointed out.

       The invitees came from Karawang, Serang, Bandung, Medan, Papua, Bali, and East Nusa Tenggara, among others.

       The invitees include farmers, animal breeders, janitors, teachers, artists, and handicraft makers, according to Head of the Information, Media, and Press Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat Bey Machmudin stated in a press release.

       Besides this, Jokowi also invited several inspirational figures to the Merdeka Palace for the celebration.

       "By inviting them, at least we will be able to know them. Later on, when there is a dialog between the president and guests, it may be possible that the government has a program for them," Djumala stated.

       The invitees are figures, who have carried out concrete activities and inspired others to partake in development programs and various competitions, including in the Olympiads.

       Earlier, Jokowi had led a midnight observance of honor and sacred reflection at the Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery, South Jakarta, in the wee hour of August 17, 2016, to pay tribute to the fallen heroes.

       The president, as the inspector of the ceremony, paid his tributes to the 9,768 fallen heroes, who had fought for the country's freedom.

       Accompanied by First Lady Iriana, Jokowi also honored the unknown fallen heroes across the country.

       The president prayed that the heroes were resting in the best place beside the God Almighty. 
  "We pledge and promise that the struggle of those heroes is also our struggle," he affirmed.

       Indonesia, represented by Sukarno and M Hatta, proclaimed its independence in Jakarta, on August 17, 1945.

       The country had been colonized by the Dutch for some 350 years and later by Japan for some three and half years.

       Last year, President Jokowi had also invited several ordinary citizens to attend the ceremony at the palace.

       This year, however, the ceremony was highlighted by more festive events.

       The Red and White flag sewn by Fatmawai, the late former first lady, and the Text of Proclamation of Independence were carried from the National Monument to the Palace on a horse-drawn carriage prior to the celebrations.

       A spectacular national day parade was also organized in the morning, featuring people in traditional dresses from various regions.

       The event also featured dance and choir performances by children, including a children's choir that had emerged the winner in an international competition in Venice, Italy, last month.

       Besides this, three F-16 Fighting Falcon and three Sukhoi 27/30 fighter aircraft flew over the venue of the ceremony to highlight the celebration.

       As part of the traditions of the Independence Day celebration, the government granted remissions to a total of 82,015 inmates across Indonesia.

       As many as 78,487 inmates received sentence reductions, and 3,528 others were released after being given remissions, Justice and Human Rights Minister Yasonnal Laoly stated.

       The country has a total of 131,954 inmates serving jail terms in various penitentiaries across the country and 67,426 detainees in several jails, he affirmed.

       Muhammad Nazaruddin, former treasurer of the Democratic Party, enjoyed a sentence cut, thanks to his willingness to be a justice collaborator of the Corruption Eradication Commission.

       This August, among recipients of the remissions were 128 convicts involved in corruption cases, 12,761 inmates sentenced in drug-related crimes, and 17 convicts involved in terrorism cases.

       The government has, on certain national holidays, such as Independence Day, Eid al-Fitr Islamic Festival, and Christmas, routinely granted sentence remissions to inmates meeting specific criteria.

       The sentence reductions range from one to six months.

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(T.F001/A/BESSR) 17-08-2016 19:04:46