Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX is not only really famous because he donated 6 million guldens to the Indonesian government before the capital was moved to Jakarta on December 17, 1949. Maybe you also heard the story about how the Selokan Mataram started built by the initiative of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX, but have you heard the story about how he became the Founding Father of the Indonesian Scout Movement?
The Sumpah Pemuda event initiated by the 2nd Youth Congress encouraged the Indonesian National Scouting Federation to move forward and consolidate national power. Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX first appeared on the scouting stage of Indonesia when the Indonesian Public Scouting Camp (PERKINO) was held in ASRI square Yogyakarta in 1941 and also lead the First National Scouting Seminar of Indonesia in Tugu, Bogor from January, 21 to 24, 1957. Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX is even called Great Scout, because his figure reflects a teacher and role model for Indonesian Scouts.
The second National Scouting Seminar of Indonesia was held on November, 27th 1958 in Ciloto. The seminar in Ciloto was intended to serve as the basis for the determination that the Indonesian scouting Organization must be nationalist, international, and universal. However, it turned out that the seminar was an attempt by the ‘leftists’ to turn the Indonesian Scouting Organization towards young pioneers.
Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX, as a Great Scout, moved quickly. He ran a marathon meeting with some scouts who were still loyal to Pancasila. The first meeting, from August 6 to 8, 1960, resulted in a draft of a new federation policy to allow unregistered scouting organizations to enter IPINDO and decided to change the title ‘Great Scout’ with ‘Father of Scout’. The second meeting, on May 19, 1960, resulted in the Indonesian Scouting Organization being under one leader.
The third meeting, from May 26 to 28, 1960, resulted in Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX as the Daily Leader of the National Scouting Council (PERKINDO). Then in the last meeting, on July 5, 1960, Scout Father inaugurated members of the National Scouting Council.
This marathon of events followed by an MPRS session related to the scouting movement was the issuance of Decree NUmber IX/ MPRS/ 1960. This Decree requested the Government to observe the Pancasila as the basis of the Indonesian Scouting Organization.
The Indonesian Scout Movement was then officially introduced to the Indonesian People on August 14, 1961, at the same time inaugurating Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX as Chairman of the first National Scout Movement Quarter. Then Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX remained for four terms of office, namely 1961-1963, 1963-1967, 1967-1970, and 1970-1974.
After being appointed as the Chairman of the National Headquarter, the Scout Movement held a Satya Dharma Camp from 5 July to 6 August 1964. The Satya Dharma Camp provided an opportunity for Scout members to participate in the Jatiluhur hydropower irrigation development project.
This camp was held before the Community Development Camp that was initiated by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX. The first Community Development Camp was held in 1968.
This camp was held for approximately 17 weeks and attended by around 7,000 people with the program of constructing an irrigation dam on the Cihideung River. At that event, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX hoped that every Scout member who attended would not only get a new experience, meet people from other regions, but also can carry out development in rural areas to help the community as an embodiment of the Dasa Darma of Scouting.
The basis used to develop the Community Development activities was later reiterated at the World Scouting Congress in Tokyo in 1971. The concept which later became known as “Renewing of Scouting” contains the magnitude of the contribution of Scouting members in activities aimed at nation-building.
This concept contains the absolute requirement for the sustainability of Scouting as a world organization with the participation of its members to participate in building the nation.
The infrastructure presented by Kak Sultan then made the Scouting Movement a new center for World Scouting to become “the new trends of World Scouting” where Scouting members must continue to be involved in activities that are dedicated and serve the community even the activities still packaged in innovative and innovative activities.
This concept has received sympathy from world-class organizations such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the International Labor Organization (ILO).
The Community Development Program initiated by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX prompted the Boy Scout of America to award the Silver World Award in 1973. For Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX, the prosperity of citizens is important goals to be achieved, that we can get through activities in Scouting Education.
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Afira Dinda Aningtyas
Sekretaris 2 Mabigus Afkaaruna Islamic School
