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Public dissatisfaction across Borneo is being expressed with increasing boldness. The Borneo Raya flag is no longer appearing only on flagpoles. It is also showing up on T-shirts featuring Dayak symbols. For some Dayak communities in Kalimantan, the flag has become an expression of frustration with the Indonesian central government.
The recent lowering of a Borneo Raya flag in Tayan Hulu, Sanggau Regency, West Kalimantan, has continued to attract public attention. Responses have emerged in a variety of forms.
One of the most visible expressions has been the growing use of T-shirts featuring the Dayak flag. For those who wear them, the symbol represents both cultural identity and support for the aspirations being voiced by the movement.
The Borneo Raya Alliance has previously said that the red, yellow, and blue flag represents Dayak cultural identity. The alliance has also emphasized that its campaign is intended to draw greater attention to the concerns of people across Kalimantan.
Alliance Renews Focus on 13 Demands
The lowering of the flag in Tayan has become a subject of public discussion. The Borneo Raya Alliance has also renewed its call for the 13 demands it previously presented.
The demands cover a range of issues affecting Kalimantan, including natural-resource management, infrastructure development, Indigenous communities, and more equitable access to education and health care.
The alliance has placed particular emphasis on people living in remote and border areas, arguing that their concerns deserve greater attention from the government.
Noven: Support Is Becoming More Visible
Dayak youth leader Noven Honarius said support for the movement is becoming increasingly visible. He said a number of community leaders and groups have responded positively to the campaign.
“There have been many positive responses and even support from various groups and Dayak leaders. That is why the movement is becoming more visible in public. It shows that people in Kalimantan share the same spirit in pursuing these aspirations,” Noven said.
He said the lowering of the Borneo Raya flag in Tayan had not stopped people from voicing their demands. Instead, he described the incident as giving new momentum to those who want to continue the movement.
“More and more people are supporting the movement, especially among the younger generation. The lowering of the Borneo Raya flag in Tayan has given us new energy, with the slogan, ‘One comes down, a thousand rise,’” he said.
Dayak Symbols Do Not Have to Fly From Flagpoles
KDK said public expression is not limited to raising a flag. Wearing T-shirts displaying the Dayak flag has also become a way for people to express their identity.
Symbols, KDK said, do not necessarily have to fly from flagpoles. They can also be carried through the clothing people wear in public.
T-shirts featuring the flag have therefore become part of the movement’s public expression. The message is conveyed not only through words but also through symbols displayed on clothing.
Frustration With the Central Government
The growing visibility of the Borneo Raya flag controversy suggests that the issue has moved beyond a dispute over a piece of fabric. It has increasingly become a broader conversation about identity, recognition, and the political aspirations of people in Kalimantan.
“I think this issue cannot be separated from the disappointment felt by Dayak communities in Kalimantan toward the central government,” said Yohanes Nenes, chairman of the Dewan Adat Dayak - DAD Pontianak (Pontianak City Dayak Customary Council).
Reporter: Apen Panlelugen
