SBY: Keep spirits up amid looming crises

Adianto P. Simamora ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 05/21/2008 10:44 AM  |  Headlines

FANNING NATIONALISM: A fan dance enlivens the centennial celebration of National Awakening Day at Bung Karno sports stadium in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The President has used a colossal centennial commemoration of Indonesia's national movement to boost the nation's spirits in the face of looming crises.

"We believe, with unity and hard work, Indonesia can be a developed and prosperous nation in the 21st century. Let's whip up the spirit of 'Indonesia can'," he said, using the slogan of the commemoration.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made these comments while addressing the centennial at the Gelora Bung Karno sports stadium late Tuesday.

In an earlier televised speech he urged everyone to be "optimistic" amid expectations of an energy crisis and a food and economic crisis. Such optimism was needed to ensure all those problems would be resolved, he said.

"We managed to keep our independence, to go through reform ... and rise after the tsunami. How did we get through all that? It's because we have a strong spirit and never give up, whether we're fighting colonial rulers, poverty or other difficulties," the President said.

May 20 is commemorated as National Awakening Day, taken from the foundation in 1908 of Budi Utomo, one of the first organizations that led to the national movement against colonial rule.

A wide range of traditional dances involving 30,000 entertainers was the highlight of the celebration.

Yudhoyono also urged the country to maintain its independence, saying this was the main requirement to avoid "being dictated to by others".

Competitiveness and "a noble national civilization" were other requirements for becoming a sovereign nation, he said.

Such a civilization included the ability "to preserve our identity", Yudhoyono said, and to increase the work ethic.

One hundred and fifty dancers from Papua, the country's easternmost province, had come to entertain the crowd, which was also attended by Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

Singer Edo Kondologit, joined by 5,000 students from the University of Indonesia, sang the national anthem, Indonesia Raya, and singer Agnes Monica sang Merah Putih, another nationalist tune.

"Let us continue our struggle, our hard work and the reform movement to develop democracy, create good governance and encourage development in the regions," Yudhoyono said.

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