Hundreds of Indonesian in the Sultanate participated in the flag-hoisitng ceremony to mark Indonesia’s 79th independence anniversary at the Indonesian Embassy in Brunei Darussalam on Saturday.
Led by Indonesian Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Dr Achmad Ubaedillah and commanded by Major Arm Gunawan, 16 Indonesian students in the country participated in the event.
The ambassador and embassy staff, as well as most of the participants, wore traditional clothes reflecting the diversity of the Indonesian culture.
“Today we wear different traditional clothes to illustrate that we come from different regions in Indonesia.
“But we must still maintain unity and solidarity, help each other and maintain harmony together, including when abroad” said Dr Achmad Ubaedillah.
The ceremony also saw awards presented to Indonesian nationals and Brunei citizens for their achievements and roles in collaborating with the embassy in the fields of economy and protection of Indonesian citizens.
The Satyalencana Karya Satya 20-year and 10-year awards were also given to five embassy officials, as well as awards to three embassy staff members for best performance in 2024.
An aubade comprising 30 children aged between five and 12, in colourful traditional clothes, sang national and regional songs.
Sixty members from the Indonesian motorcycle community, who rode their bikes from Indonesia to Malaysia and Brunei to commemorate Indonesia’s 79th anniversary and promoting Indonesia among the two countries, were also in attendance. – Lyna Mohamad
