Jakarta, NU Online
It is official: former Indonesian President Suharto is not a national hero. This year at least.
Indonesia’s late second president, who ruled the country with an iron fist for 32 years, allegedly stole billions of dollars and left a legacy of endemic corruption, was passed over for the honor by the Council on Titles, Decorations and Honors.<<>;br />
Late former President KH Abdurrahman Wahid, known affectionately as Gus Dur, also did not receive the honor.
The council named Dr. Johannes Leimena from Maluku and Johannes Abraham Dimara from Papua as national heroes.
Leimena, born in Ambon in 1905, served as a cabinet minister from 1945 to 1966, or 21 consecutive years. In his youth, he actively supported student movements and helped prepare the historic national youth congress in Oct. 28, 1928.
Maluku Deputy Governor Said Assagaff said the award was “an honor for the people of Maluku.”
“Leimena is the third person from our province named as a hero after Thomas Matulessy and Christina Martha Tiahahu,” Said told Antara.
“Leimena was a pioneer in various negotiations in or out of the country. He took part in historical events such as the Renvile Agreement and Round Table Conference in the Hague,” he said.
Both events played involved negotiations between the Netherlands and Indonesian republicans seeking independence.
Johannes was an independence fighter. Born in Biak, Papua, in 1916, Dimara fought for Indonesian independence and took part in the 1963 war to free West Irian. He died in 2000.
The Golkar Party, the former political vehicle of Suharto, meanwhile said they understood the government’s decision to postpone naming Suharto a national hero.
Speaking in Jakarta, House of Representative Deputy Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso, from Golkar, said Djoko Suyanto, the coordinating minister of political, legal, and security affairs, had told him that the government had not rejected naming Suharto, or Gus Dur, as national heroes.
“The minister told me it’s not the right time to name them,” Priyo said. “If that’s the reason, then we can understand it. We should prevent any debate over it.”
Priyo said Golkarwould continue to insist that Suharto be named as a hero, despite the criticism, and added that the government must have the courage to bestow the honor.
“I don’t know when the right time is, maybe next year, or in the next two years, or when we have a new president,” he said. “What we want to assure is we should never put historical revenge in front. We do admit that there were some mistakes. But we must also remember good deeds.”
Suharto, also criticized for major human rights abuses largely ignored by the West during his rule, has also been labeled as the father of Indonesia’s development by supporters.
The other candidates were former Jakarta Governor Ali Sadikin from West Java, Habib Sayid Al Jufrie from Central Sulawesi, Andi Depu from West Sulawesi, Andi Makassau from South Sulawesi, Pakubuwono X from Central Java and Sanusi from West Java. (dar)
It is official: former Indonesian President Suharto is not a national hero. This year at least.
Indonesia’s late second president, who ruled the country with an iron fist for 32 years, allegedly stole billions of dollars and left a legacy of endemic corruption, was passed over for the honor by the Council on Titles, Decorations and Honors.<<>;br />
Late former President KH Abdurrahman Wahid, known affectionately as Gus Dur, also did not receive the honor.
The council named Dr. Johannes Leimena from Maluku and Johannes Abraham Dimara from Papua as national heroes.
Leimena, born in Ambon in 1905, served as a cabinet minister from 1945 to 1966, or 21 consecutive years. In his youth, he actively supported student movements and helped prepare the historic national youth congress in Oct. 28, 1928.
Maluku Deputy Governor Said Assagaff said the award was “an honor for the people of Maluku.”
“Leimena is the third person from our province named as a hero after Thomas Matulessy and Christina Martha Tiahahu,” Said told Antara.
“Leimena was a pioneer in various negotiations in or out of the country. He took part in historical events such as the Renvile Agreement and Round Table Conference in the Hague,” he said.
Both events played involved negotiations between the Netherlands and Indonesian republicans seeking independence.
Johannes was an independence fighter. Born in Biak, Papua, in 1916, Dimara fought for Indonesian independence and took part in the 1963 war to free West Irian. He died in 2000.
The Golkar Party, the former political vehicle of Suharto, meanwhile said they understood the government’s decision to postpone naming Suharto a national hero.
Speaking in Jakarta, House of Representative Deputy Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso, from Golkar, said Djoko Suyanto, the coordinating minister of political, legal, and security affairs, had told him that the government had not rejected naming Suharto, or Gus Dur, as national heroes.
“The minister told me it’s not the right time to name them,” Priyo said. “If that’s the reason, then we can understand it. We should prevent any debate over it.”
Priyo said Golkarwould continue to insist that Suharto be named as a hero, despite the criticism, and added that the government must have the courage to bestow the honor.
“I don’t know when the right time is, maybe next year, or in the next two years, or when we have a new president,” he said. “What we want to assure is we should never put historical revenge in front. We do admit that there were some mistakes. But we must also remember good deeds.”
Suharto, also criticized for major human rights abuses largely ignored by the West during his rule, has also been labeled as the father of Indonesia’s development by supporters.
The other candidates were former Jakarta Governor Ali Sadikin from West Java, Habib Sayid Al Jufrie from Central Sulawesi, Andi Depu from West Sulawesi, Andi Makassau from South Sulawesi, Pakubuwono X from Central Java and Sanusi from West Java. (dar)
