JAKARTA - General Hoegeng Iman Santoso is a legend in the history of Bhayangkara. The courage of "The Honest Policeman" to criticize the New Order government (Orba) has been well-known. However, Hoegeng was boycotted from the celebration of Bhayangkara's Birthday. Unmitigated. Ten years.
Hoegeng became one of Suharto's biggest worries. Hoegeng's involvement in various movements critical of the New Order - including his membership in the Petition 50 - made Suharto slowly kill Hoegeng's steps.
Hoegeng's radio and television shows were stopped. His movements are restricted. Even the most painful thing for the former National Police Chief, he was banned from attending Bhayangkara's Anniversary from 1987 to 1996. Even though it was ceremonial, Bhayangkara's Anniversary lost his role model.
Hoegeng's big moves not only caught many criminals. Many corrupt officials in the New Order government were stifling. Efforts to get rid of Hoegeng subtly have been done through an offer to become Ambassador (Ambassador) of Sweden and Belgium.
Everything was rejected by Hoegeng. The only way out that Suharto gave Hoegeng was to stop being the National Police Chief. Hoegeng made this choice on October 2, 1971. At the beginning of his retirement as the National Police Chief, Hoegeng enjoyed his various activities as an artist: painting and singing.
However, on the sidelines of these activities, Hoegeng was furious with the increasingly rampant corruption. He then actively criticized Orba. This action is a dangerous thing because the consequences are quite large. Hoegeng is not afraid.
He continued to criticize the New Order and its leader, Suharto. Hoegeng then joined groups that were active in criticizing the New Order, such as the Institute for Constitutional Awareness (LKB) and the Petition 50 group.
“Clean government must start from the top. Just like people take a bath, the splash of water to clean themselves always starts from the head," said Hoegeng as quoted by Asvi Warman Adam in the book Menguak Misteri Sejarah (2010).
Criticism after criticism made Suharto angry. All members of the Petition 50 group, including Hoegeng, are considered political enemies. In a sense, the political enemy must be immediately exterminated, removed, and immediately paralyzed. The option taken by Suharto was to give a "civil death penalty."
Hoegeng began to feel the punishment when his program The Hawaiian Seniors on TVRI stopped broadcasting and was replaced with a national music program. The reason for the termination of the event was because the government wanted to reduce the influence of western culture.
In fact, the real reason was that Hoegeng was involved as a member of Petition 50. Apart from the program on TVRI, Hoegeng's music broadcast program on Radio Elshinta was also stopped by the New Order government.
“Because I signed Petition 50 as well, our Hawaiian music broadcast through Radio Elshinta was stopped. Likewise, the program entrusted to me, Little Thing Mean a Lot, is a kind of radio interview on various topics with certain people or figures”, said Hoegeng as quoted by Abrar Yusra and Ramadhan KH in the book Hoegeng: Polisi Idaman dan Kenyataan (1993).
Suharto's wrath
Suharto's way of killing Hoegeng's steps even entered the personal realm. When his best friend Soemitro Djojohadikoesoemo was about to marry his son, Prabowo Subianto with Suharto's daughter, Siti Hediati Harijadi (Titiek), Hoegeng was ready to be a witness.
The request to be a witness to the marriage was immediately requested by Soemitro himself because the two had been friends for a long time. But that didn't happen. Former Governor of Jakarta 1966-1977 Ali Sadikin in his book written by Ramadhan KH entitled Pers Bertanya, Bang Ali Menjawab (1995), stated that when Soemitro's intentions were discussed with Suharto, The Smiling General rejected the idea of using Hoegeng as a witness.
Soemitro immediately drove to Hoegeng's residence. Prabowo's father then said with a heavy heart that his old dream of making Hoegeng a witness to his son's marriage fell apart. Suharto did not want Hoegeng's presence.
Even so, Hoegeng understood very well the reason he could not attend. Even so, it was normal for Hoegeng, who had firmly joined members of Petition 50. However, the feud between Suharto and Hoegeng intensified in 1987.
Prohibited from attending Bhayangkara Anniversary
At that time Hoegeng, who was a former National Police Chief, was barred from attending the 42nd anniversary of Bhayangkara on July 1, 1987. The Singing General received a memo prohibiting him from attending the ceremony. The memo states that there is one character who does not want his presence.
Hoegeng is sad. His son, Aditya Soetanto, who is familiarly called Didit, said that his father had prepared everything to be able to attend the Bhayangkara day, including canceling being a witness to the wedding of a family member.
"I saw how disappointed he was. I can really feel how he felt at that time. Really sad. It's really sad because he really loves his institution. Very in love", said Didit quoted by Nikolaus Harbowo in his writing in the Harian Kompas entitled Hoegeng, yang ”Ditinggal” di Hari Bhayangkara (2020).
Since then Hoegeng was never invited again to the National Police Day. It was noted that Hoegeng had not attended Bhayangkara's anniversary for ten years. A decade later, in 1997, Hoegeng just received another invitation to attend Bhayangkara's Anniversary. The invitation was specially delivered directly by the National Police Chief, Dibyo Widodo (1968-1998).
The arrival of Dibyo Widodo was like a breath of fresh air for Hoegeng. Because apart from conveying the invitation, the National Police Chief also presented Hoegeng with a silver Mitsubishi Lancer car numbered B733DW. Hoegeng also accepted it because the prize was a form of appreciation from the Police for Hoegeng's dedication as the first National Police Chief to graduate from the Police Science College (PTIK). Hoegeng immediately smiled.
“A week before the celebration of Bhayangkara Day, an envoy from the National Police came to measure the uniforms for Hoegeng. And Hoegeng also came to attend the Bhayangkara Day ceremony at the Mobile Brigade Headquarters Kelapa Dua, Depok. He came in a new car that was given to him by Dibyo Widodo. This is the first incident after the National Police Chief was appointed by Anton Sudjarwo”, concluded Aris Santoso et al in the book Hoegeng: Oase Menyejukkan di Tengah Perilaku Koruptif Para Pemimpin Bangsa (2009).
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