DKI Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso Launches Jakarta Children's Day Reading In Today's Memory, August 24, 2006

Sutiyoso, while serving as Governor of DKI Jakarta, announced Children's Day of Jakarta Reading (Hanjaba) on August 24, 2006. (VOI/Irfan Meidianto)

JAKARTA Memories of today, 17 years ago, August 24, 2006, the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Sutiyoso (Bang Yos) launched Jakarta Reading Children's Day (Hanjaba). The declaration was held at the South Cross of the National Monument (Monas). Bang Yos hopes that the interest in reading Jakarta children can increase sharply.

Previously, national figures often transmitted the habit of reading to all Indonesian people. The government also doesn't want to be left behind. The owner of the power continues to prepare various facilities so that interest in reading the Indonesian people increases sharply.

Books are the window of the world. That's what makes all national figures like to read books. From Soekarno, Mohammad Hatta, Ki Hajar Dewantara, to Tan Malaka. They never worry about being labeled a book. Because, books are the main keys to exploring the thoughts of world leaders.

The results are amazing. Many ideas are able to be absorbed and become a weapon to liberate the Indonesian nation. As a result, they cannot be separated by the invaders from their books. Books like the most valuable items that accompany the nation's leaders in prison to exile.

Wherever they are, they want to live with books. That desire is because books make them free from all kinds of suffering and silence. Even don't forget books make many people able to escape ignorance.

The moment Indonesia's independence was then used by all national figures to cultivate reading interests. Soekarno in his speech often touched on this. Moreover, Hatta. The love of the nation's shops for books also inspired the Indonesian government of the New Order era (Orba).

The New Order government often has many agendas for the Indonesian people to read diligently. Mainly, when Wardiman Djjonegoro became Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud) from 1993 to 1998. He once launched many reading agendas.

Then, the leader of the New Order, President Soeharto, did not want to be left behind. He himself launched Library Visit Day every September 14. This is so that the next generation of the nation likes books and grows into a smart generation.

In an effort to attract interest and like to read, I launched May as the National Book Reading Month and September as the Month of Reading Gemar. In addition, September 14th became a Library Visit Day.

This declaration was carried out by President Suharto. All of this is an effort to form people who like to read, so that reading activities can become a habit for life. IKAPI (Indonesian Issuance) also holds book exhibitions every year," said Wardiman Djjonegoro in the book Along the Way of Memories (2016).

Insiatif mengajak rakyat Indonesia membaca di era Orba pun menginspirasi banyak pihak. Gubernur DKI Jakarta, Sutiyoso, salah satunya. Ia merasa minat baca adalah penyedinan dan kesejahteraan. Ia pun ingin menggagas suatu hari khusus agar minat baca anak-anak di Jakarta meningkat.

The breakthrough was perpetuated. Bang Yos then launched Hanjaba on August 24, 2006. The declaration was witnessed by thousands of children in Jakarta and perpetuated at the Monas Cross. The study was announced so that interest in reading was embedded from an early age in Jakarta children.

After that, Hanjaba will be celebrated every year on August 24 with a variety of interesting activities. From the competition to the cheap book bazaar.

With this declaration, I hope it can increase reading interest. The declaration is to foster reading interest in children. Even the important actors to read are teachers and parents. They play an important role. They are the determining factor," said Bang Yos as quoted by Tempo.co, August 24, 2006.