Puan Maharani: Fasting Ramadan Saved President Soekarno From Assassination Attempts

Puan Maharani, said that fasting during Ramadan saved her grandfather, President Soekarno, from an assassination attempt by Daniel Maukar on March 9, 1960. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, said that the blessing of fasting during the month of Ramadan saved her grandfather, who is also the first president of Indonesia, Soekarno, from an assassination attempt.

Puan said that Bung Karno had repeatedly received death threats during his tenure.

"Alhamdulillah, Allah SWT has other plans, so these efforts always fail," said Puan in a written statement in Jakarta, Saturday as reported by Antara.

Among the assassination attempts on Bung Karno occurred in the month of Ramadan 1379 Hijri, or coincided with March 9, 1960. It was the 11th day of fasting.

The story is, at that time the 1st president of the Republic of Indonesia Soekarno was chairing the Supreme Advisory Council (DPA) session.

"That afternoon, shots were fired at the Palace, or to be precise in the dining room," said Puan.

The terror launched by an Air Force pilot Daniel Alexander Maukar in the palace dining room was to kill Bung Karno who he thought was having lunch. In fact, Bung Karno was fasting so he was not in the dining room.

"The assassination attempt only left a hole in the wall of the palace dining room," said Puan.

For his actions, Daniel who was then threatened with the death penalty in a military court received a pardon from the first president of the Republic of Indonesia Soekarno so that he only served 8 years in prison.

"That is one of the blessings of fasting, a blessing bestowed by God Almighty during the holy month of Ramadan that Bung Karno felt so that he survived the assassination attempt," said Puan.

Puan Maharani also invites all Muslims in this glorious and blessed month of Ramadan with positive, productive activities, to welcome Indonesia's better future.