SEAToday.com, Jakarta - Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, or Bung Karno as he was affectionately known, was a master of diplomacy. He had an uncanny ability to win over foreign dignitaries, not just through his charming personality but also through thoughtful and unique gifts.

Bung Karno was the epitome of a leader who excelled in diplomacy. He was skilled at maintaining good relations with other countries. He treated foreign guests with the utmost respect, ensuring that they felt like honored guests. He would even go so far as to personally oversee the preparations for their visits, from selecting the artwork to arranging musical performances.

As a token of friendship, Bung Karno would often present special gifts to visiting dignitaries. These gifts varied, from orchids presented to the North Korean leader Kim Il Sung to other unique items.

Bung Karno's diplomatic skills were also evident during his foreign visits. He had a knack for winning people over and garnering sympathy for his government. He would often travel with a musical group and introduce traditional Indonesian dances like the "lenso" to foreign leaders.

The highlight of these visits was always the gift-giving ceremony. Bung Karno would present the host with a carefully selected piece of art as a symbol of the warm relations between the two countries.

As Rosihan Anwar wrote in his book, "Sukarno, the Military, and the PKI: A Triangle of Power Before the Political Upheaval of 1961-1965" (2006), “The delegation also brought with them 102 crates containing gifts to be given to friendly nations. These crates contained Indonesian arts and cultural products".

Upholding World Peace

Bung Karno not only gave awards and gifts to heads of state. He also often appreciated Indonesian citizens who made significant contributions to the nation. One such contribution was the people's role in maintaining world peace.

The Indonesian government under Sukarno and the Old Order was known for being seriously involved in foreign policy. Indonesia was actively involved in humanitarian missions. The government deployed members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, known as the Garuda Contingent, to various countries around the world, from Asia, Europe, to Africa.

Bung Karno also appreciated any members of the Garuda Contingent who were willing to go abroad to bring honor to the nation since 1957. Bung Karno also provided encouragement. In fact, he even saw off the departure of the Garuda Contingent to their destination countries.

The Garuda Contingent was once deployed to Congo twice in 1960 with a troop strength of 1,074 TNI members and in 1962 with a troop strength of 3,457.

The arrival of the Garuda contingent was part of the UN peacekeeping mission, the United Nations Operation in the Congo (UNOC). The aim was to maintain peace and stability in Congo due to a political crisis. At that time, Congo, which had just gained independence from Belgium on July 30, 1960, experienced political turmoil.

The Garuda contingent was not deployed alone. They were also accompanied by military contingents from other countries such as Malaysia and the Philippines. The Garuda contingent was able to carry out their duties and position themselves well. They were able to quickly adapt and become familiar with the local people.

"Good humanitarian relations were also shown by Indonesian troops with the local people. It is not surprising that many hungry Congolese children often called out to Indonesian soldiers asking for food: Bapak Indo... makan," said Yudi Latif in his book "Wellspring of Virtue: Pancasila in Practice" (2014).

The mission was a success. Indonesia's role as a world peacekeeper was recognized. The government then began deploying peacekeeping troops to various other conflict areas with the same agenda, maintaining world peace.

Gifting the Vespa Kongo

Bung Karno appreciated the services of the Garuda Contingent and gave them gifts upon their return to their homeland in 1963. The gifts included certificates of appreciation, radios, and a special Vespa: the Vespa Kongo. The Italian-made scooter given was a special series motorcycle. It was not a VBB, Vnb, or VLA series. The most striking difference was that the Vespa Kongo given by Bung Karno did not have all its components from Italy.

Coincidentally, there was a German touch because the Vespa manufacturer collaborated with Vespa GmbH Augsburg. The Vespa Kongo given was also divided according to rank. However, the attributes presented on the Vespa were the same. The Garuda emblem was featured on the front body. Even more special, the Vehicle Registration Certificate (BPKB) had a special inscription: ex Brigade Garuda.

"There were two types of Vespas distributed. The green 150 cc Vespa was given to officers. While the 125 cc Vespa in yellow or blue was given to soldiers. Each Vespa was equipped with a soldier's number plate on the left side of the handlebar made of brass. That's when this type of scooter first appeared in Indonesia," said Agus Rulianto in his article in Tempo magazine titled "Memories from Congo", August 21, 2006.

The presence of the scooter gift made people who saw it marvel. The scooter got another name. People not only called it the Vespa Kongo, but also the Vespa Ndog (egg). The name was taken because of its egg-like shape.

The giving of the Vespa Kongo by Bung Karno and the Old Order became the most valuable gift. Its price has increased day by day, even until today. Many people have searched for this special type of scooter by tracing the descendants of the Garuda II and III Contingents who still have Vespa Kongos.

Hopefully, they can still find a Vespa Kongo complete with the Garuda emblem, which is becoming increasingly rare. Perhaps Bung Karno had thought about it a long time ago regarding the value of the gift. Because Bung Karno was a person who often thought about everything so that memories of him would remain eternal, especially through the Vespa Kongo.