Garuda Pancasila Pun: Harry Roesli Changes Lyrics To Criticism

Harry Roesli (Source: YouTube screenshot)

JAKARTA - The breakfast news this morning made me think. The load is not bad. But there is a sentence structure that feels odd, about how news makers juxtapose the word "criticism" with the word "simply". "Just a criticism," it reads. What I understand is that criticism is never just. Especially for Harry Roesli. Especially if the object of criticism is the authorities. The article I read contained the news, when Harry Roesli was threatened by court for slipping the Garuda Pancasila song in his naked, honest and original criticism.

Harry Roesli's case began when he attended the commemoration of the 56th Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia at the residence of former President Abdurrahman Wahid in Ciganjur, South Jakarta. During the event, Harry Roesli sang the Garuda Pancasila song whose lyrics were changed:

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Garuda Pancasila I'm tired of supporting you

Since the proclamation

Always sacrifice for you

What is Pancasila based on?

When will the people be just prosperous

Person of my people

Don't go forward

Don't go forward

Not moving forward

***

Quoted from the coverage of the television program Liputan 6 which aired on SCTV, August 2011, Harry Roesli stated that he was ready to be tried, even imprisoned if he was legally convicted. This was revealed by Harry Roesly at his residence on Jalan Supratman, Bandung, West Java.

Harry Roesli did not remain silent about his legal threats. He took Hendardi, who was then chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid Association, to study the case.

Apart from that, quoted from an article entitled Harry Roesli Kepeleset Pancasila in the August 26 2001 edition of Tempo magazine, Harry Roesli also spends his days spreading apologies, including sending letters from readers to many mass media. Harry Roesli said he was also surprised because he had sung his version of the Garuda Pancasila song since 1977, and there had never been any problems up to that time.

Harry Roesli also emphasized that he had no intention of harassing or destroying Sudharnoto's songs, let alone insulting Pancasila as a symbol of the state. From Harry Roesli's point of view, his version of the poem Garuda Pancasila questions the application of the values of Pancasila by state administrators, which is far from the mandate of Pancasila itself.

More than just criticism

Harry Roesli's music is so important. Not only musically cool. Harry Roesli's music criticism is never "just". Harry Roesli's song lyrics often inspire a spirit of rebellion.

His songs in the New Order were often intercepted by the authorities. It is terrible, indeed, for every ruler, when people's unrest is combined with the ability to think and criticize. Harry Roesli realized that. The rulers also know.

Garuda Pancasila is not the only one. Harry Roesli's consistency criticizes distinguishing himself - with other musicians - from a social perspective. Just listen to one of his songs, released 1973 Malaria.

The late Denny Sakrie even called the song a metaphor that eloquently described the condition of the Indonesian nation at that time. The song was released by Harry Roesli with his band, The Gang of Harry Roesli on the album "Philosophy Gang". Another song, Ciociocio Werkewer is just as loud.

In the song, Harry Roesli sings with orchestral music. The lyrics lead satire to many names in power circles. Call it Akbar Tanjung to the most famous fugitive, Eddy Tansil, a businessman of Chinese descent who escaped from the Cipinang Penitentiary, Jakarta on May 4, 1996.

Harry Roesli's son, Layala Khrisna Patria, had a chance to tell one of the events of the long terror situation that Harry Roesli lived through throughout his musical career, during the New Order era, in particular. It is said, Harry Roesli had a chance to go around the stage by always using video shows containing a collection of articles about the Trisakti tragedy as a background in his performance.

"At that time, the big media reported as if in the video who was caught shooting. Since then you have been terrorized, every gig has been put on bulletproof ... I was really afraid that, because we knew your intention was only to pour out the incident but people reacted to it. until he wanted to kill, "Layala told CNN Indonesia last year.

Harry Roesli's spirit of rebellion grew since he was little. Harry Roesli is the son of Roeshan Roesli, a retired TNI military major. Her mother is a doctor named Edyana.

Although living in luxury. Harry Roesli was restless. His love for music was completely opposed by his parents. However, he was lucky enough that his three siblings were standing by his side. He was finally given permission to play music on the condition that his education continued.

This restlessness was what Harry Roesli carried throughout his life. The sensitivity of the tonil rock legend was extraordinary. Harry Roesli's music is not only intelligent, but also inspiring, an eternal spirit that cannot be extinguished even though one of Tanah Pasundan's best artists has died. As the message before his death, namely the message not to turn off the lights in his study.