Drama Pembuatan Konscript Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia: Perumusan, Pergolakan, Dan Pena Yang Terlupas

Bung Karno read the text of the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The formulation of the text on the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence is not an easy thing. Efforts to unify the idea between freedom fighters were tough. They finally agreed that Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta were enough to sign the proclamation script.

Both of them are considered more than sufficient to represent the people of independent Indonesia. Usually, the pen used for the token procession for the declaration of independence is immediately stored like a historical object. However, what happened to the pen?

The debate between young and old groups occurred in the Rengasdengklok incident on August 16, 1945. As a result, both groups agreed that Indonesia should be independent on August 17, 1945. The old and young groups also tried to find a place to make a meeting for the preparation of the Proclamation script.

Security matters are the main criteria for finding a place in Jakarta. The house of the top naval officer of the Japanese Empire, Admiral Maeda, is the most likely location. Maeda at that time was known as a Japanese who was pro-indonesian independence.

He allowed his home room to be used to formulate the text of the proclamation. Even Japanese soldiers will not dare to arrest freedom fighters at Maeda's house in the sterile zone. Independence fighters who attended Maeda's house reached 40-50 people.

They consist of the Preparation Committee for Indonesian Independence, youth leaders, movement leaders, and members of Chuo Sangi In (Central Advisory Council). Those who were asked to compose text of limited proclamation to Bung Karno, Bung Hatta, Sayuti Melik, Sukarni, and Achmad Soebardjo.

Soekarno and Hatta share roles. The idea of the content of the proclamation was from Hatta. Bung Karno was acting to write. A debate over the choice of words occurred. This condition was because the freedom fighters could not use frontal sentences that angered the Japanese colonialists.

The five agreed. The proclamation manuscript was also presented to the attending audience. Input and criticism of the script occurred. Bung Karno also hopes that all those present can sign a proclamation statement. However, the proposal was countered by Sukarni.

He suggested that only Soekarno-Hatta was signed in the name of the Indonesian people. For him, it is enough to represent. In particular, the majority of participants accepted the idea. Even though not a few are dissatisfied.

The words were welcomed by all those present with boisterous applause and cheerful faces. I feel disappointed, because their attention and signing a historic document, which contains their name for the pride of their children and grandchildren in the future.

"But what will be said? Before the meeting was closed Soekarno warned that that that day also on August 17, 1945 at 10 am the proclamation was carried out in front of the people in the courtyard of his house in Pegangsaan Timur 56," explained Muhammad Hatta in the book Memoir (1979).

The statement of the Proclamation of Independence of a country is a sacred procession. The preparation must certainly be done with very mature preparation because it will be a matter of pride for the children and grandchildren. This condition can be seen in statements of state independence such as the United States (US).

The place is well prepared. In fact, chicken pens with the best ink boxes were prepared. A much different condition occurs in the preparation of the Proclamation of Independence of Indonesia. Everything was done all of a sudden.

Indonesia's independence statement was not written on top of gold. The sentences of the Proclamation script are only written through a piece of paper. Even then, because someone gives a blue lined notebook as used in children's notebooks.

Bung Karno grabbed a piece and wrote words from Bung Hatta. Soekarno, who wrote the script, did not use a special pen. Bung Karno suspected that the pen used came from someone's loan. The pen was also used to sign the text of the proclamation on behalf of Soekarno and Hatta. Malang cannot be rejected. The pen used was not clear about his fate. Alias is missing.

If the declaration of independence of other countries immediately secures the pen as ajud object, the pen of the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence just disappeared. This condition was recently regretted by Bung Karno. In fact, the borrower could potentially become one of the most historic objects in the independent Indonesia process.

We are also not looking for chicken bullion pens to match tradition. Who had thought about that? We don't even keep the historic pens used to write the words that will live forever."

"I know that the presidents of the United States (US) distributed pens that have been used to sign important laws, but I, who faced important moments in history, don't even remember where the pen came from. I thought I borrowed it from someone," said Bung Karno as written by Cindy Adams in the book Bung Karno: Connecting the Tongue of the Indonesian People (2014).