The Story Of Megawati Proposing Sukarno's Book To Be The Mandatory Read Of School Children

Under the Revolutionary Flag, the book by the first President of the Republic of Indonesia, Ir. Sukarno or Bung Karno. (Special)

JAKARTA - Sukarno was once considered a dangerous figure for the power of the New Order (Orba). The owner of power did not allow Bung Karno to be close to the people again. His role in the historical trajectory is trying to be reduced. Loyalists are brushed off. His path is prohibited from coming into contact with politics.

Bung Karno's books could not be circulated freely. However, everything changed during the reform era. Megawati proposed her father's book to be obligatory reading for school children. Megawati wants school children to grow intelligently and critically, especially clarifying the nation's history.

The governments of Suharto and the New Order (Orba) are considered to have a big sin on Bung Karno. New Order like making Bung Karno a political prisoner. The influence was removed. Loyalists were beaten back. Trah Sukarno was also prohibited from interfering in Indonesian politics.

This condition was exacerbated by the New Order style, which seemed to try to eliminate Bung Karno's influence in the historical trajectory of Indonesia. People know this effort as Desukarnosation.

Bung Karno, who in fact devoted himself to Indonesia's independence, was considered normal. Bung Karno's prison and exile were nothing. New Order only takes an interest in those who fight on the battlefield.

Sukarno, who fought through politics, was considered to have no major influence. This narrative was stated by the New Order in many historical books. As a result, many people do not really understand Bung Karno's struggle. In fact, not infrequently people think that Sukarno and Hatta are one person.

The New Order was so allergic to Sukarno's thoughts and breakthroughs in the past. The New Order is considered the culprit of Bung Karno's books that are difficult to issue. Many publishers refuse to publish Bung Karno's books in the form of a pledoi at the Bandung Court, Indonesia Sues and Under the Flag of the Revolution.

They are afraid of being complicated by the New Order for distributing Bung Karno's works. The Gunung Agung shop became the only publisher who dared to take the risk of publishing Bung Karno's book in the New Order era.

This book was published by PT Gunung Agung, a publisher led by Masagung, a close friend of President Sukarno at a critical time. In the same year, the publisher published a book entitled Bung Karno Putra Fajar, written by Solichin Salam based on research and interviews with President Sukarno.

The book almost cannot be published, if there is no availability of PT Gunung Agung to issue it. Understandably, at that time, President Sukarno's position was in a difficult position due to the September 30 Movement event, which caused a number of publishers to be reluctant to publish it. When Sukarno was removed from his power and held as a political prisoner, the Desukarnoization situation driven by the New Order government occurred," explained historian Peter Kasenda in the book Bung Karno Panglima Revolution (2014).

Megawati has felt the influence of desukarnoization in the New Order era. He and his family are prohibited from getting education. His family was even forced to stay away from politics. He saw his father's role as being reduced in Indonesian history. His political thinking seems to understand prohibited.

However, the reform era changed everything. Everyone can access Bung Karno's thoughts through his works freely. Even though the influence of Desukarnoization is still felt. Bung Karno's bad image is increasingly being raised. In fact, Bung Karno's services are piled up for the nation and state.

Megawati will not be allowed to drag on. He asked the Joko Widodo (Jokowi) government through Nadiem Makarim to straighten Bung Karno's history. Megawati also wants the Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud) from the 2019-2021 era to work properly.

He proposed to Nadiem to use Bung Karno's books as mandatory reading for school children on October 24, 2020. Megawati wanted Bung Karno's books to be studied and entered into the curriculum of school children. Megawati considered this condition as a form of recitation to educate the nation's children.

Megawati likes to understand that reading habits are starting to disappear among the younger generation. In fact, reading is a teaching to liberate thought and straighten history. Megawati thought that reading Bung Karno's thoughts of school children could adopt Bung Karno's spirit and courage.

School children also met and became acquainted with Sukarno through books. Something that can then make young people move to bring Indonesia into a big country. Even so, Nadiem did not take Megawati's proposal seriously.

"In my opinion, reading Bung Karno's book, apart from opening the world window, with him meeting world figures, also extracting thoughts from many world leaders who are known by him through his books".

"Imagine, I like to think, actually why not as a knowledge shouldn't be? That's part of desukarnoising politics that no one dared to talk at that time. Until I myself also thought, how come there is a system formation that makes me apologize like guiding our intellectuals," Megawati said as quoted by the Kompas.com page, October 24, 2020.