Surabaya – The government has emphasized the importance of upholding the honor of national symbols, particularly the Red and White Flag, amid the widespread display of pirate flags from the anime series One Piece during Independence Day. This phenomenon has been seen in several areas, including Surabaya, where the flags have been flown under the Red and White flag or even used as street murals.
East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa urged the public to honor the month of August as a sacred moment of independence by raising the Red and White flag correctly and orderly.
“Red and white are non-negotiable. Therefore, I ask that you respect the month of independence. The Red and White flag will be flown,” Khofifah emphasized at the Grahadi State Building in Surabaya, East Java.
Khofifah explained that the East Java Provincial Government had issued a circular urging the public to fly the Red and White flag throughout August. The provincial government also distributed free flags to residents in need.
“This step was taken to ensure that every corner of the region continues to display the symbols of a legitimate and sovereign state,” he said.
Similarly, Johan Rosihan, Secretary of the PKS faction in the MPR RI, assessed that this phenomenon touches on a sensitive area of national consciousness. According to him, the main issue is not the love of pop culture, but how these symbols are used.
“It’s as if juxtaposing or even replacing the national symbol. This action, whether intentional or not, has touched on a sensitive area of national consciousness,” he said.
Johan emphasized that the Red and White Flag is not just a colored cloth, but a symbol of sovereignty as regulated in Article 35 of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia and Law No. 24 of 2009. This national symbol must not be treated carelessly, let alone replaced in public spaces.
“Treatment of the national flag is part of respecting the nation’s sovereignty and dignity,” he said.
He also reminded that flying a fictional flag instead of the Red and White not only violates national ethics, but also has the potential to violate the law.
“The state must firmly enforce the rules so that this phenomenon does not become a trend that damages the country’s symbolic value,” he explained.
However, Johan emphasized that global culture is not to be despised. However, when pop culture begins to replace national symbols, Indonesia faces the risk of an identity crisis.
“This is where revitalizing the national narrative is crucial. The Red and White must be present not only on classroom walls, but also in the digital culture consumed by the younger generation,” he concluded.
