Bank Indonesia – Supplied
Jayapura, Jubi – Chief Representative of Bank Indonesia Papua Province Joko Supratikto stated Frans Kaisepo would be the first national hero of Papua origin to feature on the Indonesian banknote of Rp 10,000 denomination.
“This is the first time for a Papuan to be displayed on a banknote, but the endemic bird of Papua, cendrawasih, has been used in the coin,” he said in Jayapura on Wednesday (14/9/2016).
He said the decision reflects Indonesia’s commitment to Papua as a region that is not separated from the Republic of Indonesia.
“Hopefully it could bring a good thing to Papua in general upon the Republic of Indonesia,” he said. But Joko admitted he has no further information about when it would be circulate. “It would be announced later, but it is expected to be done at the end of this year,” he said.
Earlier, the President Jokow Widodo reportedly determined 12 pictures of the national patriots to be displayed in the Indonesian banknotes. The Secretariat of Cabinet said to show the government’s respect towards the national patriots, the government needs to display the pictures of national patriots in the banknotes or coins’ front side.
For that reason, on 5 September 2016 the president signed the Presidential Decree No 31 Year 2016 on the Establishment of National Patriots to be displayed on the front side of the Indonesian banknotes and coins.
Frans Kaisepo is one of 11 patriots selected based on decree. Another ten are Dr (HC) Ir Soekarno and Dr (HC) Drs Mohammad Hatta, Ir H Djuanda Kartawidjaja, Dr GSSJ Ratulangi, Dr KH Idham Chalid, Mohammad Hoesni Thamrin, Tjut Meutiah, Mr I Gusti Ketut Pudja, Letnan Jenderal TNI (Purn) Tahi Bonar Simatupang, Dr Tjipto Mangunkusumo, and Prof Dr Ir Herman Johanes.(*)
