Megawati Soekarnoputri Was Summoned By President Suharto For Criticizing The New Order In Today's History, February 5, 1994

Megawati Soekarnoputri met with President Suharto on February 5, 1994. (Doc. Presidential Library)

JAKARTA History today, 29 years ago, February 5, 1994, Chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), Megawati Soekarnoputri met President Suharto in Bina Graha, Jakarta. His arrival was due to Megawati's political steps being considered disturbing the New Order (Orba).

Previously, Megawati's appearance in the political map of Indonesia was so surprising. He was able to get support from all Indonesian people. He became a symbol of resistance to the tyranny of the New Order. At its peak, he was able to become the highest leader of the PDI.

Suharto and New Order's power was able to reduce the desire of the Soekarno family to enter politics. In fact, the Soekarno - especially men - made a consensus containing an agreement that would not enter into political parties and stand up to all groups in 1982.

This means that there is no longer any opportunity for the Soekarno route to emerge on the Indonesian political stage. Even though Soekarno's opportunity to enter politics is wide open. This power is none other than the legacy made by Soekarno, he is still in the sanubari of all Indonesian people.

The cool conditions made Suharto comfortable as Indonesia's number one person. Everything changed when Soekarno's second son, Megawati Soekarnoputri, entered politics in 1987. The PDI, then led by Soerjadi and Nico Daryanto, was in Megawati's presence.

They wanted Megawati to be known as a symbol of resistance and a repetition of votes. Thejian was successful. Megawati and the PDI are the most taken into account in the political map of Indonesia. In fact, Megawati was able to become the number one PDI. She was supported by all of her cadres at the Extraordinary Congress (KLB) in Surabaya in 1993.

The time was beating the race against the end of the congressional permit. The police were prepared to wait for the line at 00:00. It was at 00.00 that the KLB permit ended, and the police took over the KLB event. In the excitement that night, when Megawati was less than 10 minutes away, Megawati suddenly came out of the room. The roar split the silence welcoming Megawati's appearance. He used his loudspeaker, Megawati launched her speech.

Dan ini yang paling tidak terduga oleh siapapun, Megawati menyatakan diri secara de facto sebagai Ketua Umum DPP PDI. Pekir komong pun tak terlebih. Dan pada bagian akhir pidatonya pendeksnya tanpa text itu Megawati mengutip karya penghubung besar India, Swami Pengyananda: Temakkan Berjadi manusia sejati untuk menegakkan kebenarnya, tertulis dalam bukuTragedi Megawati: Revision Politik Massa di Indonesia(2000).

Megawati then delivered her first political speech on the commemoration of PDI's Birthday (HUT) on January 10, 1994. Megawati criticized the New Order. He said the New Order was often not in line with the 1945 Constitution and ignored Pancasila.

He even said that Indonesia should not be played with the political culture of dictators. The speech made the New Order furious. The owner of the power also invited Megawati to meet Suharto and his deputy, Try Sutrisno on February 5, 1994.

Megawati was also asked to act to maintain unity and integrity, not to divide it. In fact, that was not enough to deter Megawati. His behavior against the New Order government is getting worse. The resistance continued until Suharto stepped down in 1998.

In the end, Megawati was accepted by President Soeharto on Saturday, February 5, 1994 in Bina Graha and later accepted by the Vice President, Try Sutrisno, at the Vice Presidential Palace in Merdeka Selatan. Megawati appeared in red, long-sleeved clothes and black subordinates.

Suharto asked Megawati to immediately consolidate the organization, while Try Sutrisno advised Megawati to maintain national stability and unity and integrity. That's very encouraging," said Budi Setiawanto in Megawati's book in Journalists' Notes: Not Ordinary Darling Media (2017).