Raised 70 Meters: The Highest Flag “Merah Putih” at the Megastructure Project Under-construction in Indonesia
The morning of August 17th, 2021 the most solemn ceremony was Independence Day of Indonesia in the flag hoisting at Presidential Palace. An hour before, the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) project under construction held an Independence Day ceremony at the project venue.
The province of Jakarta government assigned PT Jakpro, a regional-owned enterprise to design and build JIS, the spectacular stadium FIFA standard, and a green building platinum grade for 3 years completely. The biggest under-construction project is a megastructure of 3-hectare on 23.1-hectare area. The capacity of the building is 82,000 spectators. “Today’s moment is the last year of the project under construction and the last for the giant flag of 17x8meters raised by a crane,” said Iwan Takwin, Project Director of JIS.
The giant “Merah Putih” flag today is the fourth for flying on the air and the second for the JIS project. The story of the legend flag is embedded with Tomo Dwihasputro, Director of KSO official contractor of the JIS project. He, on duty everywhere, is within the legend flag on his shoulders. Previously the flag joins Tomo to Mandalika, Lombok, and flew at the venue of the under-construction project on the 73rd of Indonesia Independence commemoration. The flag was made in Jakarta in August 2017. The tailor-made process for proportion measures flag needs 7 days.
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In history, “Merah Putih” was raised on Independence Day and after, was full of struggle. According to encyclopedia.com that The Indonesian revolution took place immediately after the Japanese surrender in WW II on August 15, 1945. The main nationalist leaders, Sukarno (1901–1970) and Mohammad Hatta (1902–1980) were very much surprised by the sudden collapse of the Japanese Empire and had no clear ideas on how to proceed further. However, for many Indonesian youths, it was obvious that the time had come for Indonesia to declare itself fully independent on its own terms. Sukarno and Hatta were under pressure of the youth and with the assurances of the Japanese authorities in Jakarta, Sukarno and Hatta wrote a short declaration. On August 17, 1945, Sukarno read in front of his house at the Jalan Pegangsaan Timur, “We, the people of Indonesia, declare the independence of Indonesia. All matters regarding the transition of power will be dealt with in an orderly fashion and as soon as possible.” A day later, a makeshift parliament adopted a constitution and elected Sukarno to be the first president of the Republic of Indonesia and Hatta to be the first vice president. However, at that moment, the Republic of Indonesia existed only on paper, without an effective bureaucracy or powerful police and security forces. The “Merah Putih” is under threat year by year.
Finally, the Dutch accepted the independence of Indonesia on December 27, 1949. In order to appease conservative members of the Dutch parliament, which had to agree with the transfer of sovereignty with a two-thirds majority, Irian Jaya was not included in the agreement but remained a Dutch colony until 1962. The Indonesian revolution brought Indonesia independence. The “Merah Putih” is priceless, it is paid by blood and life.
Today, for 76 years and forever, the flag is fly. As we know in a legendary quote, the flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it. Each of us of Indonesia, protecting it. Forever. ***