JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The presence of Barack Obama's statue on Menteng Park, Central Jakarta has fueled protests among some Facebook users. A campaign themed "Take down Barack Obama statue on Menteng Park" has been put in motion in the social networking site.
"I humbly ask the local government so that Barack Obama's statue is not displayed on Menteng Park... In my opinion, it's a matter of national pride...," posted Heru Nugroho, the initiator of the campaign on his Facebook page, last Saturday. When this news was first released there were already 976 supporters on the virtual campaign.
Most of the Facebookers who join the campaign question the purpose of putting up a monument of Barack Obama and its benefit for the people. According to them, there are plenty of other national figures more worthy to be immortalized on Menteng Park.
"As if we don't have any other prominent figure to be sculpted... there are many other heroes who deserve statues...," stated ARie PRazz, a Facebooker. While another user, Mazmur Wira Semesta Bangun stated that there are still Tan Malaka, Munir, Ki Hajar Dewantara, and hundreds of other national figures that seems to be fading away from our memories.
Furthermore, a vexed user even posted bluntly, "Replace it with a statue of Benyamin Sueb... ," he even included a photo link showing the late Jakarta comedian. (WAH/C17-09)
