October 30, 2025 | 08:36 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Secretary of State, Prasetyo Hadi, confirmed that the Presidential Palace has received a list of national hero candidates submitted by the Ministry of Social Affairs, including the name of former President Soeharto.
The proposed candidates will be reviewed by the Council of Honorary Titles and Awards, and the final decision, made by the President, is expected to be announced on November 10, 2025, coinciding with Heroes’ Day.
“(Soeharto) is one of the proposed candidates,” Prasetyo said at the Antara office in Central Jakarta on October 30, 2025.
He added that the President is currently reviewing the list, which contains numerous names, though he did not disclose the total number of candidates.
“Please give us time. Once the President has made a decision, it will be announced. There is no fixed limit on the number of candidates,” Prasetyo said.
Previously, Fadli Zon, Minister of Culture and Chair of the Council of Honorary Titles, stated that the council would soon deliberate on the proposed national hero candidates.
“Before November 10, we will present the results of the council’s discussions to the President,” he said. Fadli Zon emphasized that the final decision rests with President Prabowo Subianto.
Controversy Over Soeharto Nomination
The proposal to honor Soeharto as a national hero has sparked opposition. Hendardi, Chair of the National Council of the Setara Institute, argued that Soeharto is unfit for the title due to allegations of human rights violations and crimes against humanity during his authoritarian, militaristic regime.
“These allegations have never been fully tested in a court of law,” he noted in a written statement on October 27, 2025.
Hendardi also criticized what he described as systematic efforts by the government and political elites to elevate Soeharto’s status.
Following Prabowo’s election as President, the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) revoked Soeharto’s inclusion in the 1998 decree (TAP MPR Number XI/MPR/1998) that had mandated accountability for corruption, collusion, and nepotism (KKN).
Article 4 of TAP MPR 11/1998 stated: "Efforts to eradicate corruption, collusion, and nepotism must be carried out firmly against anyone, including state officials, former officials, family members, and cronies, as well as private sector actors, including former President Soeharto, while respecting the principles of presumption of innocence and human rights."
Hendardi argued that the revocation disregarded the historical reality of Soeharto’s 32-year rule, which was marked by human rights abuses, corruption, and abuse of power—issues that sparked the 1998 Reform movement.
He further contended that appointing Soeharto as a national hero would contravene Law Number 20 of 2009 concerning Titles, Awards, and Honorary Titles. According to Article 24 of the law, candidates must:
Be Indonesian citizens or have fought in territories now part of Indonesia;
Exhibit moral integrity and exemplary behavior;
Serve the nation and the state, demonstrating loyalty and never betraying the country;
Have no criminal convictions, including serving a minimum of five years in prison based on a final court ruling.
Referring to these legal requirements, Hendardi concluded that Soeharto does not meet the criteria for national hero status.
Hendrik Yaputra and Dian Rahma Fika contributed to the writing of this article.
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