Paskibraka Members Recount Their Journey to State Palace This Year
A total of 76 Indonesian youths were inaugurated as members of the 2026 National Paskibraka (heirloom flag-hoisting troop) at the State Palace, Jakarta on Saturday (08/15). Beneath this monumental achievement are the untold stories of grit, earning them the duty of raising the Red and White flag at the Merdeka Palace.
Muhammad Furqoen Hakim, representing the Bangka Belitung Islands province, revealed that the process he underwent to become a national Paskibraka member was not easy. He shared that he had to go through a lengthy series of selection stages, ranging from the school level up to the national level.
“I’ve been through a lot of stages. First, the school selection, then the regency selection, the provincial selection, and also the national-level verification, yesterday,” he explained.
The struggle to become a national Paskibraka member involves more than just a long selection process and rigorous training, it also demands the courage to fight self-doubt. Angelica Theona Putri, a representative from East Java province, shared that building self-confidence was one of the challenges she had to face.
“I lacked confidence myself, feeling intimidated right away seeing friends who were better than me. I thought, ‘Ah, I definitely can’t do it,’ but I managed to fight that lack of confidence and succeeded,” she recounted.
A similar story was shared by Gladys Manuella Aibekob, representing Central Papua province. Through persistent effort, she was able to overcome her doubts until she was finally chosen to represent her region.
“At first I doubted myself, but I kept trying and striving to eliminate that doubt,” she said.
This long struggle has yielded a profound sense of achievement, not only for the Paskibraka members themselves, but also for the regions they represent. Julita Rita Lestari, a representative from Kutai Kartanegara regency, East Kalimantan province, expressed her joy at successfully bringing her region’s name to the national stage.
“I am proud, why? Because after 15 years of Kutai Kartanegara not sending anyone to the national level, finally, out of the 26 [members], I was able to be chosen. Thank God so much,” she expressed.
The struggle for these Paskibraka members continues. Following the selection and training process, they are now preparing to carry out their duties at the 81st Independence Day ceremony. Gladys said that ahead of her duties, she is trying to maintain prime physical condition.
“I’ve started to control what I eat, so that my health stays well-maintained. I am also preparing all my equipment to ensure I look neat and proper,” she concluded.
A similar approach is being taken by Ismi Ulfaida, a representative from West Sulawesi province, who is a student at the Integrated People’s School 22 Polewali Mandar. She is also striving to maintain her health and physical fitness until the day of her assignment.
“I try to stay focused on training, maintain health, sleep regularly,” she said. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (FI/AW)
