November 9, 2025 | 08:20 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will award the national hero title to former President Soeharto at the State Palace in Central Jakarta, on Monday, November 10th, 2025. Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said Soeharto is among the ten individuals who will receive the title of national hero.
"Around 10 names will receive the National Hero title," Prasetyo said after attending a limited meeting at Prabowo's residence in Kertanegara, Jakarta, on Sunday, November 9th, 2025. "(Soeharto included?) Yes, included. Included."
Presetyo stated that conferring the title of national hero upon these ten individuals is a way to honor past leaders. They have extraordinary services to the nation and state. "How do we honor our predecessors, especially the leaders, who undoubtedly have extraordinary services to the nation and state," he said.
During today's brief meeting, Minister of Culture Fadli Zon updated Prabowo on the progress of finalizing the conferment of the national hero title. Prasetyo said that Prabowo received input regarding the conferment of the national hero title from various parties.
Prabowo received input from the Chairperson of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the Deputy House Speaker (DPR). Prabowo, according to Fadli, also assigned several individuals to communicate with public figures to hear their opinions. All of these aspirations became considerations for Prabowo. "It is hoped that what the president, the government decide has gone through various inputs," he said.
Several civil society organizations rejected the plan to confer the title of national hero on Soeharto. They have repeatedly expressed their disapproval of the plan to name Soeharto a national hero.
Protesters from the Civil Society Movement to Prosecute Soeharto (Gemas) stormed the Ministry of Culture office in Jakarta on Thursday, November 6th, 2025. They believe bestowing the title upon Soeharto would taint the status of heroism in Indonesia.
Axel Primayoga, a representative from Gemas, mentioned that Soeharto was involved in human rights violations, as well as corruption, collusion, and nepotism. He stated that Soeharto's track record makes him unsuitable to receive the title of national hero.
Axel also touched on Soeharto's repressive leadership track record. He says that during Soeharto's New Order regime, the people were oppressed and public criticism was silenced.
Various severe human rights violations occurred during Soeharto's leadership era. "From 1965 to May 1998 and its residues, thousands of lives perished without justice," Axel said.
He also referred to the Mandate of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Number XI/MPR/1998, which stipulated that Soeharto should be held accountable for various cases of corruption, collusion, and nepotism. Although the MPR revoked the decree last year, Axel found the revocation problematic.
He stated that the effort to remove Soeharto's name from the MPR decree was baseless. According to him, this was done to manipulate the law so that Soeharto could be bestowed the national hero title.
Franz Magnis-Suseno has voiced opposition to the proposal of awarding Soeharto the title of national hero, not only from the perspective of civil society, but also as a Catholic priest and philosophy lecturer. Magnis-Suseno is a Catholic priest and philosophy lecturer.
Father Magnis stated that Soeharto's involvement in alleged corruption during the New Order era makes him unworthy of becoming a national hero. "Soeharto committed massive corruption. He enriched his family, others, his close associates, and himself. That is not a national hero," Father Magnis said in the Rejecting the Award of Soeharto as a Hero discussion at the YLBHI Building, Jakarta, on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025.
In addition, he mentioned that Soeharto was responsible for the 1965-1966 genocide, which claimed millions of lives. He stated that an ideal national hero would not engage in ethical violations, let alone crimes.
Sultan Abdurrahman contributed to this article
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