Independence Day Sensations

The country experiences some sensations as the 62^th Independence Day approach. The following are just two that ‘worth’ to mention. *smile*

On August 4, 2007, Roy Suryo – the self-proclaimed information technology expert – yet again created sensation, this time around the original version of the country’s national anthem. He claimed that he found the original, complete version of Indonesia's national anthem “Indonesia Raya” (Great Indonesia) at a museum linked to Leiden University in the Netherlands. This is the three-stanza version, in the form of a black-and-white film clip. The footage was filmed in 1944 and it has duration of 3 minutes and 49 seconds and a tempo quicker than what is currently sung. Roy said that he tried to trace it for years and he finally found it via Air Putih, a group of volunteers in information and technology. (Is it true, Roy? Did you ‘find’ it in YouTube?)

The national anthem was written and composed by Indonesian songwriter Wage Rudolf Supratman in the 1920s. Indonesia Raya’s text and film clip as appeared on YouTube (posted on December 19, 2006 by one of its users).

Indonesia tanah airkoe, tanah toempah darahkoe.
Disanalah akoe berdiri, djadi pandoe iboekoe.
Indonesia kebangsaankoe, Bangsa dan Tanah Airkoe.
Marilah kita berseroe "Indonesia bersatoe."

Hidoeplah tanahkoe, hidoeplah negrikoe,
Bangsakoe, Rakjatkoe, semoeanja.
Bangoenlah djiwanja, bangoenlah badannja
Oentoek Indonesia Raja.

Refr:
Indonesia Raja,
Merdeka, Merdeka
Tanahkoe, negrikoe yang koecinta.

Indonesia Raja,
Merdeka, Merdeka
Hidoeplah Indonesia Raja.


Indonesia! Tanah yang moelia, tanah kita jang kaja.
Di sanalah akoe berada oentoek slama-lamanja.
Indonesia, Tanah poesaka, poesaka kita semoeanja.
Marilah kita mendoa, "Indonesia bahagia!"

Soeboerlah tanahnja, soeboerlah djiwanja,
Bangsanja, rakjatnya semoeanja.
Sadarlah hatinja, sadarlah boedinja
Oentoek Indonesia Raja.

Refr (1x)


Indonesia! Tanah yang soeci, tanah kita jang sakti.
Disanalah akoe berdiri mendjaga iboe sedjati.
Indonesia! Tanah berseri, tanah yang akoe sajangi.
Marilah kita berdjandji: "Indonesia abadi!"

Slamatlah rakjatnya, slamatlah poetranja,
Poelaoenja, laoetnja semoeanja.
Madjoelah negrinja, madjoelah pandoenja
Oentoek Indonesia Raja.

Refr (2×)


Today, most Indonesians only know and sing the first stanza of “Indonesia Raya”. Few know the second stanza and the third stanza that had been missing until it was ‘found’ recently. It certainly stirs public debate: which version of the national anthem is most appropriate. And, most definitely it creates publicity and media coverage for Roy and Air Putih. (Emang pinter deh si Roy ini dalam hal-hal begini.)

The news media also have different take on Roy’s source – museum in the Netherlands and server in the Netherlands. Mana yang bener? Furthermore, the timing is so amazingly coincidence to the commemoration of the country 62^th independence day, in just about a week from today.

What’s silly is that the People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Hidayat Nurwahid urged the president to issue a decree on the matter. (Alamak! Selidiki dulu ah… kan udah ada tuh peraturannya.) The then President Soekarno issued a government decree No. 44 on July 10, 1958 declaring that the national anthem only contains the first stanza and would not use the other two stanzas. (Kesian bener jadi presiden diminta ngurusin hal-hal yang nggak perlu dia urusin. Kena dikerjain Roy katro deh. *smile*)

Roy, are you going to entertain us with more sensations? Pastinya, ya… abis seperti kata beberapa blogger, “RS katro, dan katronya permanen.” *smile*

Follow this link (Rekaman Lagu “Indonesia Raya” Bukan Hal Baru)
for another angle of the national anthem sensation by Kompas Daily Newspaper.

OK, let’s move on to the second sensation…

Prof. Dr. Yusril Ihza Mahendra and Saifullah Yusuf – both are former ministers that served SBY - make a smooth career change to become movie stars. Yusril plays Admiral Zheng He and Saifullah plays Majapahit King in a movie produced in collaboration with Kantana Ltd. – a Thai’s movie firm.

I quoted a posting by Indra Subagja in Detikcom news site: Yusril Ihza Mahendra dan Saifullah Yusuf kini jadi bintang film. Kedua mantan menteri kabinet SBY ini akan bermain dalam dalam film Admiral Zheng He atau Laksamana Cheng Ho. Menurut Yusril film ini dipersiapkan sejak lama dan menelan biaya US$ 3 juta.

"Film ini sudah direncanakan sejak 2 tahun lalu, sejak saya menjadi menteri," kata Yusril saat memperkenalkan filmnya itu di NAM Centre, Jl Angkasa, Kemayoran, Jakarta Pusat, Senin (6/8/2007). Dalam jumpa pers ini, Yusril didampingi Saifullah Yusuf alias Gus Ipul.

Yusril berperan sebagai tokoh utama yakni Laksamana Cheng Ho, sedang Gus Ipul kebagian peran sebagai Raja Majapahit Wikramawardana. "Saya tertarik bermain di film ini karena ada unsur pendidikan dan tema film ini mengenai kemanusiaan juga politik," ujar Yusril.

Yusril menjelaskan film ini dibuat bekerja sama dengan perusahaan film Thailand bernama Kantana Ltd. Dan nantinya akan dibuat sebanyak 26 episode dan ditayangkan di TV. "Oktober akan mulai syuting di Indonesia di daerah Kemayoran dan Pangandaran dan melibatkan 850 pemain," urai Yusril.

Dia mengaku film ini menghabiskan biaya yang cukup besar sekitar US$ 3 juta. Syuting film ini pun dilakukan di 6 negara yakni Cina, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kamboja, dan Vietnam. "Biaya paling besar dihabiskan di Cina karena melibatkan 4 ribu pemain dan militer Cina dan memakan waktu 1 bulan," jelas Yusril.

Film yang melibatkan total 6 ribu pemain ini khususnya berkisah mengenai perjalanan Cheng Ho menuju Asia Tenggara. "Sebenarnya ini kisah Islami," tandas Yusril. (ndr/asy)


Well,… no further comments other than, “Bapak-Bapak mau ngikutin jejak Ronald Reagan dan Arnold Schwarzenegger ya?”