Menbud Fadli Affirms Suharto Fulfills Conditions For Being Nominated As A National Hero

Chairman of the Council for Titles, Services, and Honors (GTK) who is also Menbud, Fadli Zon at the Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday 5 November. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Council for Titles, Services, and Honors (GTK) who is also Minister of Culture (Menbud) Fadli Zon said that the 2nd President of the Republic of Indonesia Suharto was eligible to be nominated as a national hero.

Suharto, as with 48 other national hero candidates, whose list has been reported by the GTK Council to President Prabowo Subianto, has passed the stages of proposing and reviewing tieredness from the local government, the Regional Research and Study Team (TP2GD), then at the central level by the Central Level Research and Study Team (TP2GP) of the Ministry of Social Affairs, and to the GTK Council.

"The name President Suharto has even been proposed three times, yes, and also several other names, some from 2011, some from 2015, all of whom have met the requirements," said Fadli Zon in response to reporters' questions when met at the Presidential Palace. RI, Jakarta, Wednesday afternoon, confiscated by Antara.

According to Fadli, the names proposed as national heroes cannot be listed if they do not have services and meet the requirements and criteria set out in the laws and regulations.

"If you don't (meet the requirements, ed.) it is impossible to propose. So, the matter of meeting the requirements meets the requirements," continued Fadli.

Meanwhile, when asked about the public's refusal regarding Suharto's candidacy as a national hero, Fadli said that the government received all the input provided by the community. However, he again reminded that the names nominated came from the public's proposal.

Fadli then mentioned that from the studies regarding the candidate for national hero, Suharto was considered meritorious because he had led the March 1 General Attack in 1949 during the Dutch Military Aggression II and the West Irian Liberation Operation.

"He led the March 1 General Offensive. That's for example, March 1 was a major attack, the March 1 General Offensive was one of the milestones of the Republic of Indonesia that could be recognized by the world, it still exists. Because the Dutch at that time said the Republic of Indonesia was cease to execut, no longer there. So, in negotiations in New York when, Indonesia was no longer there, the leader was arrested, the territory was already controlled, the people were already subject. Suddenly there was this attack, one of which was a big attack, a General Offensive March 1, 1949. That's one I read from those proposals," said President Prabowo.