TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Yogyakarta Military is planning to hold public screenings of Pengkhianatan G30 S PKI (Betrayal of PKI) film at schools and villages.

The Yogyakarta Military Commander Brigadier General Fajar Setyawan has instructed military districts (Kodim), military sub-district command (Koramil), among others, to hold public screenings of the film. “The screening can be held in public spaces, village halls, schools or Koramil,” he said on September 20.

The instruction says that the public screening shall be held on October 1 but it can be started from now until October 5, the date that marks the National Armed Forces’ (TNI) birthday.

Yogyakarta Military Command will facilitate anyone wishing to attend the public screening free of charge.

Read: Cleric Buya Safii: I do not believe in PKI revival

Fajar has encouraged residents to watch the G30 S PKI movie. “For people to know the history of the PKI's brutality,” he said.

The TNI Commander General Gatot Nurmantyo earlier instructed soldiers to watch the movie. Some have said that the instruction is at odds with recent developments. Critics came, among others, from Indonesia’s largest Muslim organization the Nahdlatul Ulama.

Film critic M Fatchurohman said that regardless of the history, the film is an interesting cinematographic work. He, however, said that the film has become obsolete, adding that filmmakers may create similar movies that can be enjoyed by millennials.

“I have no problem with people watching it.” He said that the G30 S PKI movie can be used as the topic of discussion among movie clubs, observer or students who are interested in cinematography studies.

MUH SYAIFULLAH