Award Setya Lencana Wirakarya And Culture For Slamet Rahardjo From Megawati Soekarnoputri In Today's History, April 23, 2004

Senior Indonesian actor Slamet Rajardjo Djarot has received the Satya Lencana Wirakarya and Culture award from Megawati Soekarnoputri. (VOI/Savic Rabos/Raga)

JAKARTA History today, 19 years ago, April 23, 2004, President Megawati Soekarnoputri gave Satya Lencana Wirakarya and Culture to film people, Slamet Rahardjo Djarot. The award was given for Slamet's contribution to advance the world of Indonesian cinema.

Previously, appreciation for the national film had been carried out long ago by Megawati's father, Soekarno. Big Brother even gave his blessing for the screening of the film Kuduh and Prayer (1950) at the State Palace. This effort means a lot to Indonesian film people.

Bung Karno is a true film lover. At least once a week young Soekarno often takes the time to watch movies. Even though the family's economic situation is not okay. Bung Karno often had a lesson to be able to watch movies.

He was willing to sit behind the scenes to watch the film. Because, that's the only seat that can be paid when going to the cinema. Bung Karno was not sad. He enjoyed behind the scenes, although he had to learn to read the existing text from right to left. He was grateful to be able to watch the film at that time.

His favorite for films continues to be developed when he is Indonesia's number one person. He is in a fully supportive position for Indonesian film people to show national films. No word no for that.

Soekarno also provides space for creative film people. Although they have to compete closely with films from abroad. All because Bung Karno understands that film is the best way to convey inspiring messages to the general public.

As a result, Bung Karno also made the State Palace as a place to watch movies together for the first time. The film that was first screened was Blood and Usmar Ismail's Prayer. The screening became one of the milestones in the history of national cinema.

"I still remember the inaugural performance at the State Palace for the first Perfini film Blood and Prayer or The Long March. If I'm not mistaken, it was in mid-19 1950 and President Soekarno had only occupied the State Palace for several months," explained Usmar Ismail in the book Usmar Ismail Released Film (1983).

Support for national cinema was also continued by her son, Megawati Soekarnoputri. When Megawati served as President of Indonesia, she gave a lot of support to Indonesian film people.

To the figure of Slamet Rahardjo Djarot, for example. Megawati admitted that she was amazed by Slamet's footsteps in the world of Indonesian cinema. The directors who won two Citra Cups each for the films Kodrat (1987) and Kembang Kertas (1985) were able to show their capacity as big directors.

As a result, Megawati became more and more attracted. He then awarded Setya Lencana Wirakarya and culture at the State Palace to Slamet on April 23, 2004. The award is the highest award given by the state to Indonesian film people.

"I am a worker. I sometimes don't count days, weeks, or months. I just work and work. Suddenly, I have been counted consistently in films and films. I am considered to always have cultural moral values.

"But for a worker, this is a kind of warning or warning that I have to keep working anywhere, either in theaters, films, socials, or other life," added Slamet Rahardjo Djarot as quoted by Ekky Imanjaya in the book A to Z about Indonesian Film (2006).