President Soekarno moved into Merdeka Palace

VIVAnews - 59 years ago today, on 28 December 1949, President Soekarno moved into Merdeka Palace as his official residence.

After the Dutch acknowledged Indonesia’s independence on 27 December 1949 and surrendered all of its occupied areas, including Jakarta (then, Batavia), the Indonesian government decided to move its capital back to the old city.

President Soekarno, who had just been sworn in as the President of the United States of Indonesia a day earlier, arrived at the capital on 28 December 1949. He was greeted by Colonel Soegeng and Colonel TB Simatupang who escorted him to the Weltevreden Palace.

Inspired by the enthusiasm shown by the people along the way from Kemayoran airport to the palace, where tens of thousands of people stood in the street, waved their hands, and shouted: ‘Independence!’ Soekarno decided to change the palace’s name from Gambir or Weltevreden Palace to Independence Palace (Istana Merdeka), and stayed there as his official residence.

Later, Soekarno also renamed several other places surrounding the palace. He changed the Rijswick Palace to the State Palace (Istana Negara), Ikada Square to Independence Square (Merdeka Square), and renamed all the streets surrounding the Merdeka square to Merdeka square streets.