Indonesia Faces Backlash Over Politicized National Culture Day

Critics Question Link to President’s Birthday, Demand Transparency

JAKARTA: A new National Culture Day, controversially established to coincide with President Prabowo Subianto‘s birthday, is drawing sharp criticism from prominent politicians and academics who decry the politicization of national heritage.

Calls for Explanation Intensify

House Speaker Puan Maharani has formally requested that Culture Minister Fadli Zon provide a clear justification for designating October 17th as National Culture Day.

“I’m asking for a clearer explanation of the basis and reasoning behind the decision, in order to avoid ongoing public debate.”

—Puan Maharani, House Speaker

Maharani, also the daughter of former President Megawati Soekarnoputri, stated that culture is a shared inheritance and should not be made exclusive. She has directed Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives, responsible for cultural oversight, to investigate the matter thoroughly.

Concerns Over Political Favoritism

Accusations are mounting that the decision, made without public consultation, is an attempt by Fadli Zon, a close presidential ally, to curry political favor. Critics highlight the lack of transparency surrounding the announcement.

Historian Asvi Warman Adam contrasted the current controversy with the less contentious establishment of National Poetry Day. “People don’t seem to object to National Poetry Day (because the date makes sense),” Adam told local media, adding that the current National Culture Day’s alignment with Prabowo‘s birthday raises questions about the authority of ministers in decreeing such commemorative dates.

Minister Zon‘s recent decree establishing December 17th as National Pantun (Poetry) Day, however, received broader acceptance. This date recognizes the anniversary of UNESCO’s inscription of pantun, a traditional Malay poetic form, as intangible cultural heritage.

In 2022, Indonesia’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology launched a national movement to revitalize local languages, emphasizing the importance of preserving Indonesia’s diverse cultural heritage, a sentiment that critics argue is undermined by the recent decree. (Source: Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Annual Report 2022)