Barry Dream Statue
Just a week after its inaugauration, a statue of Barack Hussein Obama in Menteng Park has brought protests from Indonesian net community. A Facebook group of ‘Turunkan Patung Barack Obama di Taman Menteng’ with 2400 members has surfaced urging to demolish the statue. Meanwhile, Rejection of Obama’s statue not only striving in cyberspace, but also in real world. Another internet group brought together by ‘Cinta Indonesia’ forum had gathered to condemn the statue in Menteng Park. In addition to orating session, the mass had also tied a red-white cloth at the head of Obama statue. “This is a symbol we love our national heroes more,” explained group coordinator, Rifki Muhamad.
According to Rifki, there are big questions about the installation of the statue. A number of national heroes who obviously had contributed much were never that appreciated. “For example, MH Thamrin was already immortalized in such a statue, but his was only mounted at Kenari, Central Jakarta. The location is not strategic and hidden behind the market, “he said. The hidden location makes a lot of people unaware the existence of the statue. “It should be MH Thamrin statue placed in Menteng Park while Obama statue to be moved to where Obama had schooled or lived,” demanded Rifki.
Obama statue was inaugurated on Thursday December 10, coincidently with the moment of Obama accepting the Nobel Peace Prize. The inauguration was attended by a number of donors including Surya Paloh and Central Jakarta Mayor Silviana Pure.
The statue was carved by Edy Chaniago from Ancol. It was made of bronze costing around Rp100 million. In the statue, Obama was wearing shorts with sneakers. Obama left hand raised to the top with a butterfly perched on a thumb. The height of Obama’s statue is 110 cm and weight 30 kg. The statue was given the name Barry Dream Statue.
Vice Governor of Jakarta, Prijanto reluctant to comment on the controversy in the establishment of a statue of Obama Menteng Park. He claimed to not know anything about the statue. Prijanto also pleaded not understanding the justification for the statue. “The Menteng Park is part of DKI Jakarta. But who permit and sign it I do not know,” he said, Thursday (17/12/2009).
The idea of tearing-down the statue Barack Obama was met with criticism from Ron Muller, Chairman for the Foundation of Friends of Obama. Muller emphasized that the figure of Obama was not representing Obama as President of the United States. But it represents Barry, a child aged 9 years who spent his childhood for play, school and living in Indonesia. According to Muller, ever since Obama lived in Jakarta with his mother Ann Dunham, the statue aims to stimulate and inspire children of Indonesia that they could be anything, including president.
A short description of Barry
“This statue is of a child. Not statue of Indonesian and not the President of the United States. This statue is of a 9 years old child who later became president,” he added. “If the statue is destroyed, the news will spread to the whole world. This will reflect negatively to Indonesia,” said Ron Muller told AFP on Monday (14/12/2009).
On the other hand, Anthony Ingram, a man who came from Sacramento California, said it should not be the statue of Obama standing in Menteng Park like this. “It shouldn’t be Obama statue mounted here. Although he is the U.S. President and I am proud of it, I don’t think he’s made any significant contribution and deserves a statue made for him in Indonesia.” Ingram who is now pursuing education at a private university in Jakarta further explained, the spot where the statue is now better be occupied by a statue of true Indonesia hero.
Naked-Malaysian: Such a contradiction in honoring anything that is American (or is it Indonesian?). Moral of the story, are they trying to tell that any Indonesian can be the the President of United States (without first having an American mother)?
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Tags: Barack Hussein Obama, Controversy, Indonesia, Jakarta, Menteng, Naked-Malaysian, Statue of Obama
