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View all search resultsGovt plans bigger Independence Day celebration at palace
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Three members of the national flag-hoisting team raise the Red-and-White on Aug. 17, 2020, during a ceremony to commemorate Indonesia's 75th anniversary at the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta. (Biro Setpres/Agus Suparto)
T
he government is considering increasing the public quota to join what is being billed as the largest Independence Day celebration ever held at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta to commemorate the country’s 80th anniversary.
State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, who also chairs the Independence Day celebration committee, told a press briefing on Tuesday that the government is considering allowing 1,000 to 2,000 more people to join the celebration in light of the “public’s enthusiasm”.
The government initially planned to welcome a total of 8,000 people to the Merdeka Palace, the largest crowd it ever hosted for the Aug. 17 celebration on the palace grounds.
Of the 8,000 total spots available, 6,400, or around 80 percent, were designated for ordinary citizens, while the remainder were dedicated to officials and dignitaries. Public registration for the 6,400 spots opened on Monday but hit full capacity that same day.
“We apologize for the limited space. From the data [of the number of people that have registered], the public’s enthusiasm is incredible, although it’s impossible for us to accommodate everyone,” Prasetyo said.
“But we have also been analyzing and evaluating the possibility of increasing the quota so that we can give another chance to the people who are not included [on the initial list of invitees],” he added.
Read also: Merdeka Palace to host largest Independence Day celebration
