JAKARTA - Fifth President Megawati Soekarnoputri said, Queen Kalinyamat deserved the title of national hero because of her persistence in facing the Portuguese colonial era.
"I really agree with his name being made a hero. This is not because I'm subjective with women. No, I never knew that as president, making a hero was not easy," said Megawati when speaking about Napak Tilas Ratu Kalinyamat, a Maritime Hero of the Archipelago, which was held by the Indonesian Armed Forces. The sea on the deck of the KRI Dewaruci, Jakarta, Thursday, August 11.
Even the Portuguese recorded it as rainha de Japara, senhora poderosa e rica, de kranige Dame. It means, 'Queen of Jepara is a woman who is rich and powerful, a woman of courage.'
"Just imagine, duh, the colonizers admit that we are alone, right? So I totally agree," explained Megawati.
Megawati cites the story of Ratu Kalinyamat, who proved passionate about building warships and sending them to attack the Portuguese in 1551, assisting the Sultan of Johor in Malacca; Sultan of Ternate, Sultan Hitu, and its peak in 1574 when helping the Sultan of Aceh in dealing with the Portuguese.
Megawati then mentioned the figure of a brave female admiral from the Earth Veranda of Mecca, Aceh. Admiral Malahayati who was able to defeat Cornelis de Houtman through a one-on-one duel. Then, Queen Shima's unmatched decisiveness in the Kalingga Kingdom on the North Coast of Java.
"Queen Kalinyamat, Admiral Malahayati and Ratu Shima are just a few examples of how rich the archipelago is with maritime figures, and many of them are female figures," said Megawati.
Ahead of the 17 August anniversary, Megawati said that she also accepted the aspiration that dr. Suharto got the title of national hero.
To note, during his life, dr. Suharto had a special affinity with the first president and vice president of the Republic of Indonesia, Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta. In fact, since 1942, he was lined up to be the personal doctor of the two proclaimers.
Returning to the issue of women, Megawati hopes that modern Indonesian women have the courage to fight for their rights and can emerge as leaders.
"Please, women who live in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia must be aware, aware, fully aware that our rights are the same as men," he said.
"I have very progressive parents. They don't differentiate between men and women," added Megawati.
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