Surabaya – The Golkar Party is set to hold a traditional Javanese ceremony at one of Indonesia's most revered archeological sites on Friday night in response to what is says is the nation's deteriorating "moral crisis."

The ceremony at the Majapahit archaeological site in Trowulan, East Java, will be attended by party chairman Aburizal Bakrie and advisory board chairman Akbar Tanjung.

The Majapahit empire one extended throughout present day Indonesia and at its peak during the rule of Hayam Wuruk and his prime minister Gajah Mada from 1350 to 1389 incorporated what is today Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, southern Thailand, the Philippines, and East Timor.

Ridwan Hisyam, chairman of the event's organizing committee, said it could conduct a 'ruwatan' ceremony, which is described on Javanese culture and spiritually Web site Jagad Kejawen as a "traditional ritual ceremony to free people from all kinds of bad luck and bad fate in life."

"After misfortune driven out in the ruwatan rite, it is expected that life will be safe and prosperous," it says.

Ridwan said the ceremony would be held at the same location Gajah Mada made his famous "Palapa Oath," which was a vow to continue eating the bitter palapa fruit until the empire became unified and prosperous.

He said the ruwatan was in response to the "present breakdown in the nation's morality." "The moral crisis that has hit the nation is a source of great concern and a very serious problem to our party," Ridwan said.

"The Golkar Party wants to follow in the footsteps of [Prime Minister] Gajah Mada who was able to unify the archipelago and the ruwatan will hopefully also spur party cadres to help unify the nation that is now in a moral crisis," he said.

A wayung shadow puppet play titled "Rama Tambak Overcomes the Nation's Moral Crisis" would be performed by puppet master Ki Manteb Sudarsono. Female vocalists from Hungary and Japan are also expected to take part in the performance.

Bakrie, a controversial businessman who has designs on the presidency in 2014, is expected to deliver speeches. (Antara & JG)