Guntur Soekarnoputra: Soekarno Is Not A PKI, Not A Communist, He Is A Nationalist

JAKARTA - The son of the First President of the Republic of Indonesia Soekarno, Guntur Soekarnoputra, stated that his father was not part of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). He emphasized this after President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) emphasized that Soekarno had never betrayed the nation and state.

"This statement from Mr. Jokowi clears Soekarno's name that he is not involved in the G30S PKI, so it is clear that Soekarno is not a PKI, not a communist, he is a perfect nationalist and patriot", said Guntur at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta, Monday, November 7.

With this statement, Guntur considered the efforts to weaken Soekarno's influence in the history of the nation the New Order carried out could be weakened.

"The de-Soekarnoization process can be a bit muted and resisted", he stressed.

He also considered that Jokowi's statement was appropriate to be conveyed ahead of the commemoration of Heroes' Day on November 10. Moreover, Soekarno is a national hero whose services should be remembered.

As previously reported, President Jokowi stated that the first President Soekarno or Bung Karno had never betrayed the nation. He is entitled to the title of national hero which has been given since 2012.

This was conveyed by President Jokowi after awarding the title of national hero to five figures, including Haji Raden Suharto Sastrosoeyoso.

"Soekarno's engineer has been declared to have fulfilled the conditions for being loyal and not betraying the nation and state which is a condition for conferring the title of heroism", Jokowi said in the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube show, Monday, November 7.

President Jokowi also spoke about MPRS Decree No. 33/mprs/1967 concerning the revocation of state government power from President Soekarno. According to him, the stipulation is no longer valid so the awarding of the title of hero can be carried out.

"In 1986 the government had bestowed the proclaiming hero to Engineer Soekarno and in 2012 the government had also bestowed the title of national hero to the late Engineer Soekarno", he said.

"This is proof of the state's recognition and respect for the loyalty and services of Bung Karno to the nation and state", he concluded.