Paper Money

New Indonesia notes to honor 'national heroes'

The Jakarta Post reported on Sept. 14 that Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, has decided that the country’s new currency being issued later this year will bear the portraits of 12 Indonesians who have been officially designated “National Heroes” by the government. The new notes will also bear a new legend as the phrase NEGARA KESATUAN REPUBLIK INDONESIA (The Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia) will replace BANK INDONESIA.

Founding fathers Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta will remain on the 100,000-rupee bank note. Past Prime Minister Juanda Kartawidjaja’s portrait will be on the 50,000-rupee note. On the 20,000-rupee note, Oto Iskandar Di Nata will be replaced by Gerungan Saul Samuel Jacob Ratulangi, an independence activist and first governor of Sulawesi (formerly Celebes), one of the country’s main islands.

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National independence hero Frans Kaisiepo will replace Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II on the 10,000-rupee note, politician K.H. Idham will be on the new 5,000-rupee issue, and political thinker M.H. Thamrin on the 2,000-rupee note. Being sure that both genders are represented, the bank is placing Tjut Meutiah, a woman who fought against Dutch colonialism in the early 20th century, on the 1,000-rupee note.

Three other figures will make their appearance on new coins.

The paper says that the use of the images and the names of the heroes is with the approval of their descendants.


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