A.A Gde Agung National Hero

Source Bali Post January 22, 2008

Governor Bali, Dewa Beratha, never recommends title national hero to Late Dr. A.A. Gde Agung. There is something wrong in recommendation prosses that comes from outside Bali. Furthermore, there should be also a verification of recommendation before the title officially granted.

Seen on picture Dewa Beratha is in the middle together with Legiun Veteran Bali and PPM Bali displaying a banner mentioned “Reject Dr. Anak Agung Gde Agung (Former King of Gianyar & Prime Minister East state of Indonesia) as National Hero”.

They urge Governor to set up a recommendation to President in order to revoke that title.

Reference: Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung

Part 2

On I Gusti Ngurah Rai’s life Gianyar (state East of Denpasar) became a special place for him. It is not just because Gianyar was his first place to learn about military drill but this was also a place where he met his true love. Desak Putu Kari, a dancer, was the one who had stolen Rai’s heart at the first sight. She is an orphan from Gianyar. Gusti Ngurah Rai asked for the hand of her when she was at the age of thirteen. One day Rai appeared suddenly at 11 pm in her room and ran her away. When Kari’s family looked for her Rai asked her to go to the barracks while he talked about his willing to get married with Desak Putu Kari. But based on Kari’s demand, they got married after the cremation ceremony (ngaben) of Kari’s parents.

I Gusti Ngurah Rai. www.baliprov.go.id
(more…)

Part 1

I Gusti Ngurah Rai bestowed the National Hero award due to his sacrifice towards his nation, Indonesia, in the battle of Margarana against the Dutch. He was killed in the battle on 20th November in 1946 with his Ciung Wanara troop which included 95 soldiers. His name is immortalized as the name of the International Airport in Bali, name of street, campus, and sport centre to commemorate him.

Red: Gusti Ngurah Rai, Blue: Dr. Anak Agung Made Djelantik, 1931, from flickr.com/photos/wibisono/

I Gusti Ngurah Rai was born on Wednesday, wuku (seven-day week in the Balinese 210-day calendar — one traditional year consists of 30 wukus) Kelawu, 30th January 1917, in Carangsari Village, ± 24 km to the north from Denpasar. His father’s name is I Gusti Ngurah Patjung, was a Manca (head of the sub-district) and his mother is I Gusti Ayu Kompyang. His childhood name was I Gusti Ngurah Gejor (shake) because a great earthquake was going on when he was born and then changed into Ngurah Rai in his school period.

(more…)

A lot of comments arise on the bestowal of National Hero towards Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung and some of them are giving objection to the government’s decision due to the National Hero award towards Ide AA Gde Agung.

During the time there’s no history certainty in this country. Everything seems blur, whether it is really blur or made to be blur, who knows? So many facts hidden by the previous government in Soeharto’s era and so many lies showed to the surface. Let’s see the “Janur Kuning” movie, how many lies were shown on that movie? Most of the stories were fictive and nobody was able to speak up and told the truth on that time.

But now we are not in that era anymore. We are able to speak as long as it can be addressed. In this case the writer is not accusing that there is a lie in the life story of Ide AA Gde Agung. No. But maybe there’s something hidden and not to be exposed to the society which makes the veterans in Bali who experienced the struggle on 1945-1948 (hopefully I’m wrong – borrowing the style of Soegianto Sastrodiwiryo).

(more…)