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Obama statue not yet growing on people
It may be a while before the city's youth connect with the latest "city idol", Barack Obama, whose statue as a child stands in Menteng Park, Central Jakarta
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t may be a while before the city's youth connect with the latest "city idol", Barack Obama, whose statue as a child stands in Menteng Park, Central Jakarta.
Rico Kurnia Ananda, an elementary school student who lives in Bintara, Bekasi, said he didn't know anything about the US President, let alone the fact that he lived in Menteng, Central Jakarta.
When his parents told him about little "Barry" and asked him whether he also wanted to become a president, he said, "No, I want to become a locomotive engineer."
Other elementary school students, Dafin Delano Rizki Santosa who lives in Pancoran, South Jakarta, and Nitsalina Zenita who lives in Cinere, Depok, said they also did not recognize Obama.
Nitsalina simply said she didn't know Obama while Dafin said he knew the face of the US president from television, but that he didn't know his name.
Davin said he dreamed of becoming an international soccer player like his idol, Real Madrid player Cristiano Ronaldo.
A bronze statue of a smiling Barack Hussein Obama as a boy, in shirt and shorts, with a butterfly perched in his outstretched hand was unveiled at Menteng Park, Central Jakarta, on Thursday.
The statue, an initiative by Ron Mullers, chairman of the Jakarta-based Friends of Obama Foundation, aims to send the message that children can make their dreams come true.
The statue and its pedestal stand two meters tall. On one side is a paraphrased quote by former US first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, "The future belongs to those who believe in the power of their dreams."
However, the charms of the little "Barry" statue are not lost on all.
Cut Naila Febrininta, a senior high school student, said she knew of the statue and was inspired by the humble and down-to earth attitude of the US president.
"The statue is proof of the power of dreams," she said.
She said besides Obama, she idolized Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, who she considered was doing a good job.
The installing of the statue has raised questions by urban planner Yayat Supriatna.
He said he disagreed with the decision to put the statue in Menteng Park, saying such an honor was too early to confer.
"What is Obama's contribution to Indonesia or Jakarta? There are many people who clearly contribute a lot to the city and there are no statues erected," he said.
Yayat said if it was really meant to inspire children, it would be better to put the statue at Obama's former school, Besuki elementary school in Menteng, Central Jakarta, where Obama studied for a few years.
"It sends a clearer message to the students who can better recognize him through the school's history," he said.
Yayat said he doubted if Jakarta children in general would recognize or be inspired by the statue.
Debora R. Sitompul, head of the urban landscape division at the city's parka and cemeteries agency, said the idea to build the statue was not politically motivated.
"It's a statue that aims to motivate school children to pursue their dreams," she said.
She said the agency granted the request from the Friends of Obama Foundation to place the statue in a public space because the design of Menteng Park allocated spots for ornaments, including statues.
