JAKARTA - Presidential Decree (Keppres) Number 2 of 2022 concerning the Day of Enforcement of State Sovereignty, which did not include the name of the late President Suharto, was criticized by Hardjuno Wiwoho.
The general chairman of the Movement for the Turn on Prosperous People (HMS) Center assessed that Suharto was one of the figures who played a major role in the events of the March 1st General Offensive, 1949. His services were great for this nation.
"I think this is a political decision that is difficult for common sense to accept. It's a bit strange for me," said Hardjuno in an electronic message received in Jakarta, Sunday, March 6.
Hardjuno also criticized the government's decision because eliminating Suharto's role was tantamount to manipulating the history of the Indonesian nation. "Eliminating Pak Harto's role in the events of March 1, 1949 is very tendentious," he said.
Hardjuno quoted a secret instruction on 18 February 1949 issued by the Military Governor III/Commander of Division III, Colonel Bambang Sugeng, which clearly demonstrated the role of Lieutenant Colonel Suharto.
In the Secret Instructions given to Cdt Daerah III (Lieutenant Colonel Suharto), to carry out a large-scale attack movement against the capital city which was carried out between February 25, 1949 to March 1, 1949 using the assistance of troops from the IX Brigade.
Furthermore, Hardjuno reiterated that the services of Suharto, who at that time had the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, could not be denied. At that time, Lieutenant Colonel Suharto was indeed the person who was trusted by the great General Sudirman to launch an attack against the Dutch who controlled Yogyakarta.
"Therefore, I ask you not to forget history. Pak Harto has done a great job for this nation and the father of national development," he stressed.
Separately, historian Hendi Jo mentions that the absence of Suharto's name in Presidential Decree 2/2022 is not a problem and does not need to be debated. The reason is that a number of names of figures who were instrumental in the March 1, 1949 General Offensive were also not written in the presidential decree.
"It doesn't matter, the General Offensive of March 1, 1949 is called a 'gang project'. It's not only Mr. Suharto who has contributed there, there is Sri Sultan, there are initiators Mr. Dirman, Mr. Simatupang, (TB Simatupang) Mr. Wiliater Hutagalung, and many other officers- officers and high-ranking republicans who were instrumental in initiating the March 1, 1949 General Offensive," said Hendi to VOI, Friday, March 4 evening.
The author of the Book of the Age of War (2016) explained that in the General Offensive on March 1, 1949, Suharto acted as the executor of orders from the Commander of Division III, Colonel Bambang Sugeng. Hendi said Suharto was just an ordinary officer.
"Why was Pak Suharto there (in the General Offensive on March 1, 1949)? because Pak Harto was ordered by his commander at that time, Bambang Sugeng to lead the battle. So it was not Pak Harto's initiative, but it was Bambang Sugeng's initiative who handed over the operator or the leader of this operation to Pak Hart," he said.
According to him, Bambang Sugeng had an important role in the March 1st General Offensive, 1949, but his name was not listed in Presidential Decree 2/2022. In addition, he said, there were still a number of other figures involved in the history that were not listed.
"So if you want to include (in Presidential Decree 2/2022), also include the names of Colonel Bambang Sugeng, TB Simatupang, Wiliater Hutagalung, also include other names," he added.
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