May 1998
The news about Suharto amnesty from President SBY, Zinedine Zidane retirement from Real Madrid, and Road to World Cup in Berlin, brings back memory of series of event occured 6 years ago precisely in this month. My statement above will bring some frowned eyes from many people, why Suharto have anything to do with Zidane ?? Actually almost nothing !! But the demise of Suharto’s era at May 1998, happened coincidentally with the rise of new soccer star, Zinedine Zidane at that time. And also one month after Suharto being toppled from his thrown. The greatest event held periodically in the history of man-kind, FIFA world cup commenced. Precisely at the same month with this year World Cup in Germany.
RE-FOR-MA-SI….UN-TUK RAK-YAT..those slogan, chanting over and over again by ‘mahasiswa’, is the buzzword of the day. I still remember, myself, being part of the anonymous crowd, hang out daily in the front of ITB Campus. Listening to various kind of people, prominent and not so-prominent one, speak out their frustation and anger to the government of current situation. One particular orator I always eager to watch is Pak Harry Roesli. He managed to entertain the crowd with his political joke and sarkastic comment.
I can’t recall other time where I sing our national anthem wholeheartedly, it’s happening during the historical march to Gedung Sate Bandung, the following day after 6 students got shoot and murdered by ’security apparatus’. I put my hand across my chest while singing ‘Indonesia Raya’, almost broken with tears of sadness and anger, but also full of determination that this corrupted leader must be replaced and this sad incident just signified ‘the point of no return’. We marched along Jalan Dago toward lapangan Gazebo. And when we reach there, I just can’t believe my eyes, thousands of people already occupied the field (some estimation even mentioned close to 100.00O people),it is once in the lifetime experience to see that historical sight infront of your eyes. To be continued…
