Residents together with acting Jakarta Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat and Conductor Addie MS take part in a sympathetic mass choir at City Hall, Wednesday. In an act to support inactive Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, who was sentenced to two years in jail by the court, the supporters sang a number of national songs and the national anthem, Indonesia Raya.
“My homeland Indonesia, land of beauty that I love dearly. My noble blood-spilled land that I adore for eternity…”
The song loudly sung by a mass of people dressed in red and white that gathered in and spilled out of Jakarta City Hall yard on Wednesday. Guided by musician and conductor Addie MS, 56, alongside acting Jakarta governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat at the terrace of City Hall, the mass of people without command simultaneously waved their hands when the song reached the words, “coconut waves.”
The mass was immersed in the song as they sang in a choir-like manner to recorded music. Tears started to fall, the waves of hands started to shake and some eyes were closed when there came a feeling of gratitude for Indonesia as their homeland. Some even embraced one another in affection in between songs.
“It is as though my sense of patriotism was being called. I sang while shivering. I have never felt such emotions while singing a national song,” said Abdul Harris, 25, a resident of Meruya, Kembangan West Jakarta. Earlier, the mass was full of spirit and stood tall when singing “Indonesia Raya.”
Djarot, who said thank you to the people in his opening speech was unable to contain his emotion. He tried to be strong during three national songs. However, he could not hold back from wiping his falling tears.
The expression of touching emotion changed to an expression of firmness when the song “Garuda Pancasila” was played. The tempo of the song, which stomps like the march of troops, was responded to by fists raised up. After singing, they clapped and some hugged.
“It’s incredible, the amount of people that came was unexpected, I thought it would only be hundreds. I am touched,” said Addie MS after leading the choir. To avoid tears in the magical atmosphere of the orderly choir, he directed his gaze at various corners while controlling the movement of his hand in accordance to the melody.
It’s incredible, the amount of people that came was unexpected, I thought it would only be hundreds. I am touched.
About being a nation
The mass of people was in response to the two-year prison sentence for Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama. For some that gathered, the love for Ahok was because he has become a symbol of an honest official and a bureaucrat who is unafraid to kick out corruption and collusion, a hard worker and a servant of the people.
For some, their participation was also to voice their feelings of concern in regards to justice. “It turns out that NKRI [the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia], which is said to have the motto bhinneka tunggal ika [unity in diversity], is yet to have meaning,” said Sherly Ering, 38, from Manado, North Sulawesi.
There was also Arifin Kurniawan, 50, a Jakarta resident who now resides in Batam for professional reasons. Flying over on a morning flight, he went out of his way to make it for the national choir because he felt restless. “If Indonesia, Jakarta in particular, is like this, it would not be good for the economy. Investors would think twice. Come one, why can’t differences be accepted?” he said.
Djarot understood that the arrival of the mass of people was a way of voicing the concern over the national situation, a situation where differences in identity, ethnicity and beliefs are not being accepted. “They want to rejuvenate our feelings of nationalism and state unity that Pancasila is the right ideology to be the basis of the NKRI. They came to remind Indonesia of nationalism,” he said.
Candles of hope
Legal observer and former Indonesian Ombudsman commissioner from 2011-2016, Budi Santoso, highlighted the same thing, saying that the gathering of the people at City Hall was a sign of restlessness and concern at the condition of the NKRI, which was triggered by the dynamics of the Jakarta regional election. People from various cities came to collectively express their concerns about justice and diversity. This sparked a response in a number of cities through the lighting of candles.
The response, Budi said, is a signal for the government of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to immediately take action. The government must quickly embrace all parties, communicate about the matter of diversity as an effort to maintain and protect NKRI.
On Wednesday night, the mass took part in a night of pondering at Tugu Proklamasi, Central Jakarta. They prayed, sang and lit candles.
Fredericka Syahailatua, 58, was one of the people that attended. She came all the way from Langgur, Southeast Maluku, for the event. The candle she lit was a symbol of hope for an honest, open and clean government.
People of various backgrounds with various ways to express their feelings on the latest situation in the capital came together and united. At City Hall, Addie MS opened the choir, “this nation has been able to live side by side for hundreds of years. Now there are efforts to try to change that. We don’t want that.” The people clapped in response.
When the song “Garuda Pancasila” played, the people loudly sang, “I am your supporter.”
(HELENA F NABABAN, DIAN DEWI PURNAMASARI, SUHARTONO)
