Paskibraka

Husein Mutahar, founder of Paskibraka

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[1] 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.

Paskibraka extending the national flag before it is raised

In time for the 22nd anniversary of independence in 1967, Mutahar, at that time retired and in his older years, approached the then President Suharto with a plan to form today's Paskibraka (Pasukan Pengibar Bendera Pusaka) or the "National Heirloom Flag Hoisting Troop", with a ceremonial mission to escort, hoist and lower the national flag during Independence Day ceremony and other national holiday celebrations in the national and regional levels throughout the country. He has chosen the Youth as the Paskibraka to symbolize the importance of their role in the development of the nation in the future. It is to symbolize patriotism and nationalism towards the youth and the people of Indonesia.

His idea of the Flag Hoisting Troop (Paskibraka) would be a 70-man color troop made up of:

• 17-man color advance unarmed platoon with the company commander (formerly provided by the scouts)
• 8-man color guard party and escort
• A platoon of armed 45 personnel divided into 4 squads as the Honor Guard unit. During the first years, it was provided by special forces of the Indonesian National Armed Forces on the basis of the then disbanded Tjakrabirawa Regiment. Today it is provided by the Paspampres honor guard unit for the national-level flag hoisting ceremony in the Merdeka Palace and by the armed forces or the Police in provincial, city and regency level ceremonies

45 armed personnel usually originates from Military or Police forces tasked to serve with the Paskibraka during independence commemoration ceremonies in Indonesia as the honor guard

(The numbers are a reminder of the day Indonesia achieved independence, 17-8-1945.)

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 while at the background the military band played the national anthem while they raised the national flag. (Until 1972 it was named as the Pasukan Pengerek 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 and cities of Indonesia for major national holiday ceremonies, it would be the last year the old first sewed national flag would be used in Jakarta. The next year a replica flag took its place in all ceremonies nationwide, and high school students took over the job of providing the color party and the advance platoon, with their red scarf and white dress uniforms and black songkok caps which would become the signature uniform of the Paskibraka troop until today.

Nowadays, the Paskibraka has the tasks to implement their duties in three levels of state-ceremonial occasions for the independence day commemoration of Indonesia which are at the national level (located in Merdeka Palace, and the President as the guest of honor), provincial level (governor as the inspector), city level (city mayor as the inspector) and regency level (presided by the regent). Students chosen to become Paskibraka personnel are selected from public or private schools and are based on good physical, posture, and academics, the best ones are chosen to serve at the national level (at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta) usually with two pairs of male and female from each province in Indonesia, and are sent to the national level in Jakarta as the "National Paskibraka", whereas Paskibraka serving in Provincial, City and Regency level are also regarded as best school students serving for their country, but the most prestigious is becoming part of the "National Paskibraka" especially for the female student who will carry the national flag from the honor tribune to the flagpole.

Post conducting their duties, they will become Purna Paskibraka Indonesia (Paskibraka Alumni of Indonesia) and former members have duties to become active in the Paskibraka organization to conduct training, mentoring, and sharing skills to their juniors which are going to become Paskibraka members. Paskibraka members change every year per school, and a paskibraka member will only carry out his/her duty once in a lifetime if chosen by the government unit or directly by the national government to be a part of this unit.

Paskibra

Paskibra students hoisting the flag of Indonesia in their school

Paskibra (a portmanteau of Pasukan Pengibar Bendera or "Flag Hoisting Troop") refers to an Extracurricular activity which are present in most junior to senior high schools throughout Indonesia. Its activities are mostly Marching, Disciplinary activities, and leadership training. It is also tasked for raising the national flag in schools during Monday-morning ceremonies. Most Paskibraka members come from this extracurricular activity back in their respective schools.

• Flag of Indonesia
• Scouts of Indonesia

• Paskibraka at the Merdeka Palace during the Independence day ceremony
• Paskibraka at Merdeka Palace