On Thursday, 10 December, a 1.1 meter bronze statue of young U.S President Barack Obama was unveiled at a park in Menteng, part of Central Jakarta where Obama lived from 1967 until 1971.
The bronze statue cost about $10,000 and was paid for by eight Indonesian patrons, a private television station and a charity that helps the urban poor.
According to the Mayor of Central Jakarta, Sylvana Murni, the statue was erected in the hope that Indonesian children would be inspired by the idea that a little child from Menteng could grow up to become the U.S president.
While Ron Mullers, the chairman of the Friends of Obama Foundation, said that the unveiling of the statue was not a political event but purely inspirational. That is why the statue is not of Obama as a president, but as a child instead.
For further details, please click here, here and here.
I wonder whether we really need the statue of young Obama at this moment, considering that he has not done anything for Indonesia. He does not even bother to stop in Indonesia when he visited Asia recently.
Photo: Courtesy of The Jakarta Globe
10 comments:
Very true friend, even to the passengers just say obama childhood living alone who do not know anything.
Nursalim,
That's what some people said.
Thank you for dropping by my friend.
Harry...
Perhaps Obama is more popular in Indonesia than he is in the US.
I would have figured that Menteng and Jakarta had heroes of their own that are equally worthy, if not more, of the honour of a statue.
In any event, is the goal really to encourage Indonesian children to aspire to be President of the United States of America. A better ideal would be for them to aspire to make a contribution to their own great nation by becoming the President of Indonesia, or the Chief Justice, or the Chief of Police or the Armed Forces renowned for their bravery and stance on anti-corruption, and the like...
Oh well! It seems "yes we can" should become the motto of Menteng Dalam :D
nice.............
No big deal.
If some people want to have a statue for someone they think may be an inspiration to a new generation, well, let them go ahead.
Of course Rob Baiton is be right: more suitable candidates might have been available. But it is true also this choice at least distinguishes itself positively from a lot of statues which have been erected for guys who didn't deserve it at all ( in my opinion).
Rob,
Yes, it would be more understandable and acceptable if the reason for the building statue is to inspire Indonesian kids to learn & work hard & smart like Obama so that they can be future leaders in Indonesia.
DenysmacOl,
I am glad that you like my blog.
Thank you.
Colson,
Actually I am not against the statue it's only that I don't agree with the reason mentioned i.e. to inspire Indonesian children to be U.S President.
If the statue of Obama is meant to be a symbol of success based on hard & smart study & work, it would be different.
Harry...
Seems like there are enough people that want to see it come down that they have started a FB page :D
Rob,
Merely for starting an FB page?
I wonder.
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