Paskibraka

The Paskibraka Troop (Indonesian Paskibraka, shorthand for Pasukan Pengibar Bendera Pusaka or Bendera Pusaka Flag Hoisting Troop) organization serves as the official state color party for national events throughout Indonesia. Its mission is to provide flag bearers and escorts for flag ceremonies in the local and national levels as well as in international functions for overseas Indonesians, especially on Independence Day (17 August). It was founded by Major (rtd.) Husein Mutahar in 1968 and is led by a national organization with HQ in Jakarta - the National BPFHT Council (Purna Paskibraka Indonesia).

Pre-1967

Major Husein Mutahar of the Indonesian Navy was the one who in August 1946, just as the Indonesian National Revolution was raging, oversaw the first national flag raising ceremony on the 17th that month in Yogyakarta in commemoration of the 1st anniversary of national independence, presided by President Sukarno at the Gedung Agung Palace. With 5 other youths with him as the escorts, he raised the Bendera Pusaka (the Flag of Indonesia) just as Indonesia Raya was played by a military band to a joyful populace. It would be repeated again in 1947 and 1949.

With the transfer of the capital to Jakarta, Mutahar did not see any flag raising ceremonies until 1966 at the Merdeka Palace but the flag raising method still remained.

First national appearance

In time for the 22nd anniversary of independence in 1967, Mutahar, now in his older years, approached then President Suharto with a plan to form today's Pasukan Pengibar Bendera Pusaka or Bendera Pusaka Flag Hoisting Troop, with a mission to escort, hoist and lower the flag during Independence Day and other national holidays.

His idea would be a 70-man color company made up of:

• 17-man color advance unarmed platoon with the company commander (platoon first provided by the Gerakan Pramuka Indonesia)
• 8-man color party and escort
• A honor guard platoon of 45 with 3 squads, either armed or unarmed (at first provided by special forces of the Indonesian National Armed Forces on the basis of the then disbanded Tjakrabirawa Regiment and today provided by the Paspampres for the Jakarta ceremony and by the Armed Forces and the Indonesian National Police in provincial, county and township events)

(The numbers are a reminder of the day Indonesia achieved independence, 17 August 1945.)

The first official Paskibraka Troop took part in the flag raising and lowering ceremonies on Independence Day 1967, which were also covered on Televisi Republik Indonesia, therefore making their first national appearance as a military band played Indonesia Raya while they raised the national flag. (Until 1972 it was named as the Pasukan Pengarak Bendera Pusaka, the present form, Pasukan Pengibar Bendera Pusaka or Paskibraka, coined by Idik Sulaiman, was adopted in 1973.)

Starting 1968 flag escort platoons modeled on the one in Jakarta were mandated to be raised in the Provinces of Indonesia for major national holiday ceremonies. It would be the last year the old Bendera Pusaka would be used in Jakarta. The next year a replica flag took its place in all ceremonies nationwide, and secondary students took over the job of providing the color party and the advance platoon, with their red and white dress uniforms and black songrok caps which would become the trademark uniform of the organization.

See also

• Flag of Indonesia