AM Fatwa Politician Receiving Anti-Corruption Fighters Award From Iran In Today's Memory, January 29, 2009

Portrait of an interim political fighter, AM Fatwa. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Today's memory, 14 years ago, January 29, 2009, politician Andi Mapletahang Fatwa or AM Fatwa was awarded the award of Anti-Corruption Fighters by the Iranian Government. The award was given directly by the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran.

The Iranian government considers him a person of high courage to fight injustice. Previously, AM Fatwa was widely known as a political fighter who had stood up against injustice in two regimes. The regime of the Old Order and the New Order (Orba).

There is no doubt about the actions of AM Fatwa in the world of politics. The figure was even listed as an activist in the 66th Forces. He and other students strongly opposed Soekarno's leadership.

Soekarno's leadership is considered selfish. Soekarno's case of the lighthouse project often sacrifices the people. His critical attitude also put him in prison for six months in 1963. Prison did not make him lose his head. In fact, he moved down the road with other students until Soekarno stepped down.

He also supported General Suharto to replace Bung Karno. AM Fatwa considers the presence of The Smile General to be able to bring as bright hope. In fact, Suharto's leadership is not much different from Bung Karno. In fact, Suharto was much more ambitious. Suharto is known for his anti-criticism.

He immediately fought Suharto and the New Order. He was even repeatedly thrown in prison. However, he did not give up. At its peak he joined the Petition 50 movement. A movement that strongly opposed Suharto used Pancasila to beat back his political opponents. He also supports the movement that Abdurrahman Wahid (Gud Dur) initiated.

"It's just that we are now cultivating togetherness, at least in the image, precisely to neutralize the assumption of one particular party towards Petition 50. And what is clear, the character of Petition 50 always supports, also feels that he has increased his partner weighted with the birth of the Democracy Forum."

"I hope Gus Dur also remembers that Mr. Yusuf Hasyim was with a number of NU (at most) figures from 19 DPR members who asked the President a question about Petition 50, which with it the more weightlifting of Petition 50, as a national issue that also resulted in a stage of democratic struggle in Indonesia and has become history," wrote AM Fatwa in his letter to Gus Dur, February 1, 1992 as quoted by the book Defending from Behind Prison: Political Letters AM Fatwa (2004).

Getting up to fight injustice did not make AM Fatwa hot in politics. Even in the reform era, he moved to build his political machine. The National Mandate Party (PAN), his name. He also entered the political arena of Senayan as a member of the DPR-RI from PAN.

The move by AM Fatwa, who at that time served as Deputy Chair of the MPR RI, was admired by many people. The idealism of defending the people made the Iranian government attracted. As an appreciation, AM Fatwa will be awarded in Tehran.

The President of Iran, Ahmadinejad, also went directly to give the award of Anti-Criminal Fighters to AM Fatwa on January 29, 2009. The number one Iranian person thinks AM Fatwa is a rare figure in the world. Moreover, his way of life against injustice in the Old Order era and the New Order was admired by many parties. This is because his role is able to make Indonesia the third largest democracy in the world.

"The reform process also encourages the recocillation between supporters of the old regime and reform groups which makes Indonesia the third largest democracy," said AM Fatwa as quoted by the Antara page the day after, January 30, 2009.

Born in Bone, South Sulawesi on February 12, 1938, AM Fatwa died in Jakarta on December 14, 2017 due to liver cancer. His body was buried in the Main National Heroes Cemetery of Kalibata, South Jakarta.