LASKAR PELANGI

SUMMARY
Laskar Pelangi was adapted from a novel written by Andrea Hirata with the
same title. The film was produced by Miles Film and Mizan Production, directed by
Riri Riza. It was released in Indonesias cinemas on 25 th September 2008.
The film is based to a true story of the writer, Andrea Hirata and his fellow
friends. The time frame took part in 1974 at an old primary school named Sekolah
Dasar Muhammadiyah. It is located at Desa Gantong, East Belitong Island, south of
Sumatra, Indonesia. It was the oldest religious school in Belitong Island after it was
closed in 1990.
The story begins with a young beautiful teacher named Bu Mus (real name
N.A Muslimah Hafsari Hamid binti K.A. Abdul Hamid) who is very anxious waiting for
her new students for SD Muhammadiyah. It was the first day school enrollment. Pak
Harfan (real name K.A. Harfan Efendy bin Noor K.A. Fadillah Zein Noor) the school
headmaster saw Bu Mus reaction and try to calm her.
Ironically, the Depdikbud Sumatra Selatan (Education Department) has
warned them if the school fail to get at least ten students it will be closed. At the
moment, there are only nine students who are ready to register. It was a great fear
to the teachers if they could not afford to save the school. However they are saved
by Harun and his mother (a Down syndrome boy). The ten students finally saved the
school from being shut down by the education department. List of the students are:
1. Ikal
aka Andrea Hirata (the writer)
2. Lintang ; Lintang Samudera Basara bin Syahbani Maulana Basara
3. Sahara ; N.A. Sahara Aulia Fadillah binti K.A. Muslim Ramdhani Fadillah
4. Mahar; Mahar Ahlan bin Jumadi Ahlan bin zubair bin Awam
5. A Kiong; Chau Chin Kiong (Muhammad Jundullah Gufron Nur Zaman)
6. Syahdan ;
Syahdan Noor Aziz bin Syahari Noor Aziz
7. Kucai;
Mukharam Kucai Kharani
8. Borek
aka Samson
9. Trapani; Trapani Ihsan Jamari bin Zainuddin Ilham Jamari
10.Harun;
Harun Ardhli Ramadan bin Syamsul Hazana Ramadan

Majority of the students are Malays. They were the best batch of SD
Muhammadiyah. In the school they grow together from 1 SD (grade 1 primary
school) to 3 SMP (junior secondary school). Laskar Pelangi or Rainbow Warriors was
given by Bu Mus to her students as they were always enjoying the beauty of
rainbow after rain at a nearest old Felicia tree.
SD Muhammadiyah was the poorest school in the island. Bu Mus and Pak
Harfan managed the school to survive with their own efforts. SD Muhammadiah
describe as a very old building with a very old furniture and blackboard. There are
many holes at the roofs. The school never received any help from the ministry
except a box of chalks every month. Despite of the condition, Bu Mus and Pak
Harfan struggled to give their very best for the students.
Actually Belitong is a rich island. It posses natural tin source that managed by
PT Timah. However, the community lives in poverty. Besides SD Muhammadiyah
there are many modern secular schools for example elite school SD PN at Gedong.
But the parents who are only work as fisherman and labour at PT Timah could not
afford to send their children there. The schools are well facilitated and the teachers
are the most educated person in Belitong. So do the education fees.
Besides focusing on the dedicated teachers Bu Mus and Pak Harfan, the film
also focused on three students Ikal, Lintang and Mahar. Ikal is the character of the
writer himself. Lintang is a genius student who can solve mathematical problems in
a few seconds. While Mahar is the student who have a keen interest in music and
performance. During the Independence Day celebration in Gedong, Mahar
masterminded the boys to win the show with their creative dance performance. It
was a historical moment for SD Muhammadiyah. For almost 30 years they never win
any trophy in the celebration. However the most success time is yet to come.
Lintang helps Sahara and Ikal won the inter-school quiz in Gedong. It was a shocked
result for SD PN to see SD Muhammadiyah won the contest and again SD
Muhammadiyah succeed to prove that they are not ordinary pupils. Lintang is a very
hard working boy. He cycles 80 kilometers everyday to go to school. He was the
best student ever produced by SD Muhammadiyah and Belitong. However after his
father died in the sea he never come to the school anymore to look after his
siblings. Laskar Pelangi film ends with Ikal went back to Belitung after graduating

from the University of Indonesia. He met with Lintang who works as a labour and
talks about their life.
In conclusion, the film is about the struggle to give and get an education.
Providing education is a right that should be appropriately addressed by parents,
teachers and the government. Education is a golden opportunity that should not be
wasted by any student. In addition, educational institutions are also in the need of
dedicated and inspirational teachers to produce students with excellent and
visionary. This is because great students would not come without great teachers.

Comment
Indonesia is the fourth biggest population in the world. By 2010 it has about
237 million citizens. It is also the biggest Islamic country in the world. However, in
education Indonesia shown a decrease in ranking. According to UNESCO education
equity goals in 2007 Indonesia in the rank of 62, 2008 rank number 71 and 2009
rank number 109. Indonesian education systems are based to secular education
that was heritage from the Dutch colonials. Therefore, the policy always
discriminate the religious school such as SD Muhammadiyah.
In the film we can see education policy was not implemented in an equal
manner. In fact the allocation flow of education expenses was not divided equally.
For examples SD Muhammadiyah was left alone in narrowness without adequate
allocation. Even to get a box of chalks from the ministry they need to wait for ration
every month. There was no support from the government in renovating or building
new classes. When it is rain the students can be describe as wet chickens in coop.
They also not supported with books or learning sources. They can afford to buy
school uniforms.
This was different with SD PN in Gedong. It was highly facilitated with
complete needs. SD PN affords to buy uniforms for their school band. They have the
best educated teachers in Belitong. SD PN also has a beautiful building. Based to
the writer, Bu Mus also worked as a tailor to contribute for her students. While Pak
Harfan grows vegetables and sell them to ensure the school survival. They were
very great teachers who will to serve for their students at any cost. Actually they

were only paid for 15 kilograms rice per month. Thats why no new teacher wants to
be there because it is not a necessary income for teachers. But Bu Mus and Pak
Harfan accepted the challenge with God is their motivation and tawakal.
Besides, students drop out was not a non familiar phenomenon. Lintang who
was a very genius student in Belitong cannot continue his vision when his father
died in the sea. He needs to take care of his siblings because he is the elder son. It
was a lost to Belitong and a waste of a genius. Who knows some day Lintang can be
a scientist that can help the country. In the real life, the education department
supposes to identify this problem to assure that potential students can continue
their study in a secure situation. It is not in the line of Indonesian Pancasila and
Constitution of 1945. The National Education Systems only allocated in more detail
about gaining equal learning in 1989. It was stated in Chapter III of the systems.
This showed a very late action from the government to overcome the problems.
However this matter still happening in the rural areas because of lack of sources.
Despite of the conditions, the students never lost their spirit but made it as a
motivation. So do Bu Mus even after Pak Harfan died. It was really happening
moments for great teachers to see their students success in their life regarding with
what have they faced in the past. In the real life of the Rainbow Warriors Ikal or
Andrea Hirata succeed in novel writing. Actually the Laskar Pelangi is his novel and
inspiration that dedicated to Bu Mus and Pak Harfan. The novel sold more than 800
thousand books. Previously, he furthered his study in economy after receiving
scholarship from the government. Then, Kucai is a success politician in Belitong.
Syahdan worked as an extra actor before he decided to change to a network
designer. However Lintang works as a labour. He raise his children that heritage his
past ability.
After the film released, the Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
forced his cabinet to watch the film and take some initiative from the true
Indonesian story. Will it be changed? Would there be another Laskar Pelangi or just
another politics gimmick from the politician? It is all depend to them for their
country.

REFERENCES
Andrea Hirata (2005), Laskar Pelangi. Bentang Pustaka.
R. Bhavesh (2008), http://laskarpelangithemovie.blogspot.com/
Erwida Maulia (2008), Indonesias education equity goals moderate, UNESCO
report shows. The Jakarta Post.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/12/06/indonesia%E2%80%99s-educationequity-goals-%E2%80%98moderate%E2%80%99-unesco-report-shows.html

Iwan Seti (2012), 'Laskar Pelangi': The audacity of hope

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/09/07/039laskar-pelangi039-the-audacity-hope.html
Wikipedia (2010). Laskar Pelangi. 24 Mac 2012. http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laskar_Pelangi