Solo Mourns The Death Of Imam Soetopo, Gibran: He Is An Elder, Mentor And Role Model

Photo via Antara

JAKARTA - Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka recalled the former Solo mayor Imam Soetopo as a role model.

"Solo lost one of his outstanding figures, a firm figure, smart, and has a good personality," said Gibran at the funeral and departing ceremony for Imam Soetopo's body at Pendapi Gede Surakarta City Hall, Tuesday 12 July.

"He is an elder, a mentor, a role model ... Of course today the people of Solo are missing a lot," he said.

At the ceremony to hand over the body to the family, Gibran conveyed his condolences to the family of Imam Soetopo.

At the event, the Mayor of Surakarta for the 2012-2019 period, FX Hadi Rudyatmo, said that Imam Soetopo was a good recipient of aspirations during his tenure as mayor.

FX Hadi Rudyatmo reminisced about the days when he demonstrated in the streets when Imam Soetopo served as mayor of Surakarta from 1995-1999.

"I was (at that time) a street parliament, demonstrations here often. In 1996-1998 demonstrations began, including the disbandment of the TNI Faction and so on. " he said.

"It should be an example for the younger generation. His leadership is three ngayomi, ngayemi, ngayani. That must be imitated together," he added.

He also praised the firmness and agility of Imam Soetopo, who is a retired TNI soldier, in leading the government.

"He as a military figure, (has) firmness, and in terms of finding solutions to various problems in the city of Solo is very agile and extraordinarily intelligent," he said.