Dubeskan Suharto: Sikat Orba Menyabuh Lawan Politiknya

President Suharto was accompanied by Mrs. Tien Suharto with the National Police Chief General Hoegeng and his successor, Commissioner General Mohammad Hasan. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Suharto's power in holding the control of the New Order (Orba) is unmatched. His Heroism was hailed. Suharto's narrative as the Father of Development and the Economy boomed everywhere. The teaching made the General's remain high. Nor can anyone be above Suharto.

Whoever the government officials are, especially generals -- who are considered to have the potential to blunder and fight them will be removed in a subtle way. They will be given the position of ambassador. Suharto's ambassador.

Suharto's leadership as the number one person in Indonesia is full of dynamics. He was able to maximize the military's power to perpetuate his power. This support was able to make Suharto control everything. From past affairs to present.

The writing of Suharto's life history is exaggerated if you don't want to be politicized. Suharto's role in the momentum of the history of the Indonesian nation was written the most dominant. He became widely known as an important figure in the March 1, 1949 General Attack. Then, became the main actor in the crackdown of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) in 1966-1967.

His role during the New Order era was also elevated. Historical narratives left him as the son of a farmer who was able to knit dreams as an Indonesian President. Suharto, as recorded by the New Order government, is also remembered as the Father of Development and the Economy.

No one doubts that. Anyone who tries to question, or wants to appear more prominent than Suharto, his role is immediately reduced. Suharto's admiration in taking up the position or position of an official who interferes with his power is unquestionable.

Therefore, even though there are great figures, even though they do not have legality from the state bureaucracy, it will be difficult to realize their ideas to influence change. During the New Order, many interesting cases of how President Suharto at that time paralyzed strong figures who were not liked by interpreting the legality of his position.

Moreover, considering that legality will give birth to authority, and authority if it is in the hands of a capable person can give birth to a powerful movement. In order not to be rivaled, Suharto systematically 'kills' figures who are considered to endanger his position from a formal position attached to him," said Komaruddin Hidayat in the book Pinang Climbing Politics (2006).

The figures of government officials who interfered with Suharto's power appeared one by one during the long journey of the New Order. He immediately anticipated the appearance. He did not want to play rudely like the actions taken against students or activists.

Suharto eliminated government officials smoothly. Suharto's famous study at that time was to appoint them as ambassadors (Ambassadors). He was also the Ambassador from a country that is quite far from Indonesia. The goal is that the figure no longer interferes in the Indonesian political map.

Efforts to be ambassadored became a powerful weapon. Especially to silence officials or generals who he did not like. Because, being an Ambassador was considered by Suharto to have no strong political power. This narrative was because Suharto's efforts were not intended as an effort to exile.

A series of officials have also received offers from the Ambassador's position. Some refused and accepted. General Sarwo Edhie Wibowo (later became the mother-in-law of the 6th President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) and General Hoegeng Imam Santoso, for example. Both of them, who incidentally are high-ranking military and police officers, have guessed that their position in the New Order government is not safe.

Not because of their poor performance, but because both of them were deemed not in line with Suharto's wishes. At that time, Sarwo Edhie was considered Suharto to want to carry out a coup against his power. Meanwhile, Hoegeng as the National Police Chief was often troublesome because this figure never indiscriminately upholds justice. In fact, it interfered with the business that Suharto's family was working on.

Sarwo Edhie and Hoegeng also had time to predict who Suharto would do it first. Sarwo Edhie calls himself. Hoegeng mentioned his own name. Hoegeng is the winner. The difference is, Sarwo Edhie accepted to be ambassador in 1975. Hoegeng chose to refuse twice the offer to be ambassador. He prefers to retire from the police in 1971.

In many ways, Mas Sarwo is greater than me. But in discussing in Jayapura, it turned out that my prediction was more precise than Sarwo Edhie's prediction. History proves that I used to lose my role in the police rather than Mas Sarwo in the Indonesian military. The same applies to our involvement in government.

"Yes, because I refused to be ambassadored, while General Sarwo Edhie accepted to be the South Korean Ambassador and after that he still carried out the duties of members of the legislature. No one sued his position or position, except himself. He resigned from the legislative body because he felt he had no work or nothing he could fight for there. His conscience is not at peace as a member of the MPR, "recalled Hoegeng as written by Ramadhan KH in the bookHoegeng: Police Idaman and Reality (1993).