Children in Medan taking part in a cracker eating game yesterday as they celebrated Indonesia's 75th year of independence from former colonial rulers the Netherlands. This year's celebrations were a subdued affair due to the coronavirus pandemic, with people wearing face masks as they sang the national anthem and took part in games to commemorate the day. Only a few dignitaries and state officials were present at the presidential palace in the capital with President Joko Widodo to witness the flag-raising ceremony yesterday morning, the Jakarta Post reported. Other invitees, including former president Megawati Soekarnoputri and former vice-president Jusuf Kalla, as well as the Dutch and Thai ambassadors to Indonesia, attended the event via videoconference.