As many as 10 divers from the Ternate SAR dove 'raised' the Red and White flag at a depth of nine meters in the waters of the Jikomalamo beach tourist attraction of Ternate
Ternate, North Maluku (ANTARA) - The Ternate Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas/SAR), North Maluku, celebrated the 77th anniversary of Indonesia's Independence Day by raising the Red and White Flag under the sea at Jikomalamo Beach.

"As many as 10 divers from the Ternate SAR dove 'raised' the Red and White flag at a depth of nine meters in the waters of the Jikomalamo beach tourist attraction of Ternate," Head of Ternate Basarnas Fathur Rahman noted here, Tuesday.

He explained that the flag was raised and the national anthem "Indonesia Raya" was sung under the sea, while the divers also saluted the flag.

According to Rahman, this activity conveyed a message of strongly-felt national unity and was expected to be an example.


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He affirmed that Jikomalamo Beach was selected as the location for the underwater flag ceremony, as the place is safe and is one of the mainstay tourist attractions of Ternate City.

Rahman noted that the well-maintained ecosystem and beauty of Jikomalamo Beach is a tourism asset that generates income for the local government.

The underwater flag ceremony was conducted solemnly. The drivers then returned to the surface after the ceremony was over.

Meanwhile, in enlivening the commemoration of the 77th anniversary of Independence Day, the North Maluku provincial government symbolically distributed Red and White flags, as part of the nationwide 10 million Red and White flag movement.


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North Maluku Regional Secretary, Samsudin Abdul Kadir, stated that red and white flags were specifically targeted for distribution to several motor rickshaw drivers (bentor), motorcycle taxi drivers (ojek), and the public.

Kadir said his side headed to the streets to distribute hundreds of red and white flags as a step to raise love for the flag as a state identity while building a spirit of respect for the national emblem.

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Translator: Abdul F, Kenzu T
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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