SP/Deti Mega Purnamasari & SP/Daurina L. Sinurat – Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama on Sunday formalized a name change for a TransJakarta bus shelter in Grogol, West Jakarta, to commemorate the student uprising that led to the resignation of then President Soeharto in 1998.
The shelter – previously known as the Grogol TransJakarta shelter and renamed to Grogol May 12 Reformation TransJakarta shelter – is located in front of the Trisakti University where six students were killed by officials while trying to stop a protest march.
"This [name change] is so people will remember that there once were people who were destined to be martyrs for the reformation on this land," Basuki said during the event on Sunday, adding that the government had deliberately chosen to formalize the change on Sunday, to coincide with National Heroes Day.
"We wanted to take this momentum. National Heroes Day is only held every Nov. 10. The six martyrs have never been recognized as reformation heroes. That is the problem," he said.
Jakarta Transportation Office chief Udar Pristono added during the event that the name change had been based on requests from students of the university in a bid to commemorate their seniors who had fought to topple Soeharto's New Order regime.
"The renaming of the shelter had been in line with requests. It is from the students from Trisakti to commemorate the service of the Trisakti heroes by making a park and a bus shelter," Udar said during the event on Sunday.
He added that the students from Trisakti had also proposed the installation of a display system at the park, which will show the history of the nation's reformation era.
"There will be an LED [light emitting diode] display at the shelter," he said. "This is very good to help the government maintain public facilities. The funds are from them."
Aside from renaming the bus shelter, students from the university also initiated the construction of a park in the surrounding areas, which is set to be named the Grogol May 12 Reformation Park.
"This is a result of a PKS [partnership deal] between Trisakti University and the Jakarta city administration. Because there are so many objects in Jakarta to be maintained. Now some of it will be taken care of by Trisakti. This is very good, so this is part of the public's concern," Udar said.
"This is very good, all of this are assets belonging to the city administration but they are taking care of it."
The six students who died during the uprising were Elang Mulia Lesmana, Alan Mulyadi, Heri Heriyanto, Hendriawan, Vero and Hafidi Alfidin.