Menbud Fadli Zon Admits Garuda 9 Team Initator Of Cultural Day: No Relationship With Prabowo's Anniversary

Minister of Culture Fadli Zon/PHOTO: Nailin In Saroh-VOI

JAKARTA - Minister of Culture (Menbud) Fadli Zon acknowledged that the Garuda 9 Team is the initiator for the determination of Cultural Day which will always be commemorated every October 17 every year.

"Yes (The Garuda 9 team as the initiator, ed)," said Fadli Zon at the DPR building, Jakarta, Thursday, July 17.

Fadli explained that the idea emerged at the beginning of the year and was proposed by various elements of society, especially cultural observers and artists.

This is based on the enthusiasm of cultural observers with the establishment of the Ministry of Culture, and assesses the need for commemoration of Cultural Day.

"So last January, many people proposed cultural day. Because this is the first time there is a Ministry of Culture, so I think it's natural that everywhere there are proposals for aspirations from the community, from artists, culturalists, from cultural activist figures, because they are very enthusiastic about the existence of the ministry of culture, so there are a number of suggestions about the need for cultural day as momentum," said Fadli Zon.

"There are those who propose on October 20, for example, because it was announced by the Ministry of Culture. There was a time when Ki Hajar Dewantara was born, there were all kinds of things," he continued.

However, continued Fadli, among the existing aspirations, including those that were quite serious came from artists, cultural observers, in Yogyakarta which was later developed into the Garuda 9 plus Team.

"They also have ketoprak maestros, traditional maestros, and others including lecturers, academics. They conduct a fairly in-depth study. If I'm not mistaken, it's up to 79 pages, that the most appropriate thing is October 17," said Fadli.

"October 17, it coincided with the birth of the motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. Bhinneka Tunggal Ika has become 1 of our 4 pillars, right. Namely Pancasila, NKRI, Basic Law 45 and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika," he continued.

Fadli said Bhinneka Tunggal Ika was considered the culmination of Indonesian culture.

"Because of the diversity of our culture, it is summarized in Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. So I think it is extraordinary that the findings are," he said.

"And the birthday of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika was exactly October 17, at the same time the signing of the state symbol and also the motto of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika by President Soekarno, and at that time the Prime Minister was Sukiman, in the Sukiman Cabinet at that time," explained Fadli.

The deputy chairman of the Gerindra Party also emphasized that the determination of Cultural Day has nothing to do with President Prabowo Subianto's Birthday which is also celebrated every October 17.

"Nothing happened to be the same. My birthday was Pancasila's birthday, June 1, nothing to do with it," said Fadli.

Regarding whether the determination of Cultural Day has ever consulted with the DPR, Fadli emphasized that not everything must be based on the approval of the DPR.

"That's an aspiration from below. Not everything must be consulted with the DPR. We are executives and the DPR is supervising if something is wrong. Well, that's where it is monitored. If nothing is wrong, unless there are extraordinary objections, but there is a strong reason," concluded Fadli Zon.