Page 11 - E-BOOK SEJARAH DAN BUDAYA INDONESIA

According to historian Benedict Anderson, the words and declaration of the proclamation
must balance the conflicting internal interests of Indonesia and Japan at the time. Negotiations
between the young and the old in the preparation of the text of the Proclamation of Indonesian
Independence lasted from two to four o'clock in the morning. After the concept was agreed upon,
Soekarni proposed that those who signed the text of the proclamation were Soekarno and Hatta on
behalf of the Indonesian nation, and Sayuti copied and typed the manuscript, using a typewriter
taken from the representative office of the German Navy, belonging to Major (Laut) Dr. Hermann
Kandeler. Initially, the reading of the proclamation was to be carried out in Ikada Square, but due
to security reasons it was moved to Soekarno's residence, Jalan Pegangsaan Timur 56 (now
Proclamation Street Number 1).

Reading of the proclamation manuscript

In the morning, August 17, 1945, at Soekarno's residence, Jalan Pegangsaan Timur 56 were
present,including Soewirjo, Wilopo, Gafa,Pringgodigdo, Mohammad Tabrani, and Trimurti . The
event began at 10.00 with the reading of the proclamation by Soekarno and spliced with a short
speech without text. After that, Sang Saka Merah Putih, which had been sewn by Fatmawati, was
hoisted, followed by remarks by Soewirjo, the deputy mayor of Jakarta at the time and Moewardi,
the leader of barisan Vanguard.

At first Trimurti was asked to raise the flag, but he refused on the grounds that the braking
of the flag was best done by a soldier. Therefore, Latief Hendraningrat, a PETA soldier, was
appointed, assisted by Soehoed for the task. A young woman appeared from behind carrying a tray
containing the Red and White flag sewn by Fatmawati a few days earlier. After the flag flew, the
audience sang the song Indonesia Raya. Until now, the heirloom flag is still stored in the National
Monument.

After the ceremony was over, approximately 100 members of the Vanguard Line led by S.
Brata came in a hurry because they were not aware of the sudden change of place from Ikada to
Pegangsaan. They demanded sukarno repeat the reading of the Proclamation, but it was
rejected. Finally Hatta gave a brief mandate to them.

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