REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Former Minister of Justice in the New Order era, Muladi has expressed his view that former president Soeharto deserves to be conferred a hero's title as he has made significant contributions to the nation.
"I personally support (such a move) because Pak (Mr) Soeharto has given extraordinary services, for example in the struggle to taking back the West Irian region, and quell G30S PKI, or the September 30 movement of the (banned) Indonesian Communist Party," Muladi said here on Tuesday.
Muladi said President Jokowi should see the positive side of former President Suharto, who rendered great services in the course of leading the nation, and therefore deserves the title of a hero.
A similar award should be conferred upon the fourth President of Indonesia, Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), Muladi pointed out.
"Gus Dur was an outstanding figure, advocating pluralism. So, (the process of selection for such an) award should not pay attention to just the negative part, but also the positive ones," said Muladi, a senior figure of the Golkar Party.
On Thursday, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) bestowed the title of "national hero" on five prominent figures, all considered to have made significant contributions to the nation.
The five new heroes are the late Bernard Wilhem Lapian from North Sumatra, the late Mas Isman of East Java, the late Commissioner General (Police) Dr Moehammad Jasin of East Java, the late I Gusti Ngurah Made Agung of Bali, and the late Ki Bagus Hadikusumo, a Muhammadiyah leader from Yogyakarta.
The titles were conferred based on Presidential Decree No. 116/TK/Year 2015.
President Jokowi bestowed the honorary titles during a ceremony held at the State Palace, that was attended by Vice President Jusuf M. Kalla and representatives of the new heroes' families.
Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa stated that the decision to confer these titles was made based on recommendations of the Central Title Research and Assessment Team (TP2GP).
"They have conducted various forms of verification as most of them are historians and academicians," the minister affirmed.
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