Commemoration Of The 60th Scout Day, Jokowi: Scouts Must Be Pioneers Of Health Protocol Discipline

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) advised that Indonesian Scouts could be the pioneers of discipline in implementing health protocols (prokes) to prevent the transmission of Covid-19.

In commemoration of the 60th Scout Day from the Bogor Presidential Palace, Saturday, the President said Indonesian Scouts must take the lead to the public regarding the discipline of wearing masks, maintaining distance, washing hands, and avoiding crowds. Discipline in implementing health protocols is one of the keys to getting out of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Indonesian Scouts must stand at the forefront of protecting themselves, our dear friends and family, if there are friends who do not comply with health protocols, they are reminded, given explanations, given understanding," Jokowi said as reported by Antara.

He also asked the scouts to invite people who are 12 years old to get the Covid-19 vaccine to achieve communal immunity (herd immunity). "Because the main key to get out of the pandemic is the discipline of health protocols and the acceleration of vaccination to achieve communal immunity," he said.

Indonesian Scouts, he said, must be an example of a strong society, able to face all challenges, and able to raise concern for others.

Scouts also need to be a person who is willing to sacrifice and help all relatives, family, and neighbors in the neighborhood.

He also expressed his gratitude to all scouts who have worked hand in hand with other elements of society in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic in the country. "This is the true spirit of scouts contained in the Dwi Darma, Tri Satya and Dasa Darma Scouts, called, willing to sacrifice to help others without seeing differences in ethnicity, religion, and class," said Jokowi.

Before Indonesia's independence, there were various independent scouting movements. At that time, many scouting organizations had been established since the Dutch colonial period in the country. Based on a strong spirit of nationalism and patriotism, scouting in Indonesia during the struggle for independence also played a major role in the process of independence of the Indonesian state and nation.

After Indonesia's independence, on March 9, 1961, President Soekarno formed a Committee for the Establishment of the Scout Movement with members Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, Prof Prijono, Dr. A Azis Saleh, and Achmadi. These four Indonesian scouting figures compiled the Articles of Association of the Scout Movement and the Decree of the President of the Republic of Indonesia Number 238/1961, concerning Scouting.

This is the only national scouting movement in Indonesia, known as Pramuka, an abbreviation of Praja Muda Karana, with the symbol of the coconut shoot. Indonesian Scouts are also members of the World Scout Council and are active in various international arenas.

Broadly speaking, the presidential decree was the establishment of the Scout Movement as the only scouting organization aimed at educating Indonesian children and youth scouting. Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, who has been active in scouting since childhood, was appointed the Great Scout in 1960 and later appointed as the Father of Indonesian Scouts.

Various breakthroughs for Indonesian Scouts during his leadership as chairman of the Indonesian Scout National Quarter in 1961-1974, including the declaration of the Scout Savings, establishing the Dasa Dharma Pramuka and Tri Satya Scouts - as codes of behavior, ethics, and attitudes - to determining the form, style and style of Scouts, and the colors of the Scout uniforms and the attributes worn to this day.

In commemorating the anniversary of Scout this time, Jokowi hopes that Scouts can be the pioneers of discipline and implementation of health protocols.