Jakarta — The discussion of awarding the title of National Hero to Indonesia’s second president, Soeharto, continues to receive broad support from various sectors. Political figures, community leaders, and organizations argue that Soeharto’s significant contributions as the father of development, his role in maintaining national stability, and his establishment of Indonesia’s economic foundation deserve recognition as an important part of the nation’s history.
Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Nurul Arifin, stated that Soeharto was a leader who successfully guided the nation’s development during challenging times. According to her, Indonesia’s ability to navigate the political and economic crises at the beginning of the New Order era was due in large part to Soeharto’s decisive and stability-oriented leadership.
“He played a major role in maintaining national stability and laying the foundation for economic development that brought Indonesia into an era of progress,” Nurul Arifin said.
She added that evaluations of Soeharto should be conducted objectively as part of the nation’s historical journey. Many of his strategic policies, such as achieving food self-sufficiency, equitable infrastructure development, and improvements in national education quality, continue to serve as pillars for development today.
Meanwhile, Hayono Isman, Chairman of PPK KOSGORO 1957, expressed his support for awarding Soeharto the National Hero title. He emphasized that Soeharto demonstrated a strong commitment to maintaining national unity based on Pancasila during his presidency from 1967 to 1998.
“One of the main considerations for supporting the hero designation is Soeharto’s commitment as President of Indonesia to safeguarding the unity and integrity of the nation grounded in the Pancasila ideology,” Hayono said.
According to Hayono, Soeharto was not only a father of physical development but also a guardian of ideological resilience that kept the nation cohesive amid potential divisions. He noted that awarding the National Hero title would not merely be a personal honor but recognition of a leader’s dedication to achieving long-term stability.
Support also came from Irfan Ahmad Fauzi, Chairman of the Indonesian Rubber Entrepreneurs Association (Apkarindo), who highlighted Soeharto’s contributions to advancing agriculture and rural welfare through pro-people policies.
“Millions of farming families gained access to high-quality seeds, efficient tapping technology, production roads, and market access. Regions such as Jambi, Musi Banyuasin, and West Kalimantan developed significantly due to Soeharto’s policies that prioritized the people,” Irfan stated.
He added that the impact of Soeharto’s development policies is still felt today, particularly in regions producing key commodities that have grown rapidly thanks to strong agricultural infrastructure.
Overall, the growing support for awarding Soeharto the title of National Hero reflects widespread recognition of his role in building Indonesia’s economic foundations and safeguarding national unity. Leaders agree that naming Soeharto a National Hero would be a significant step in honoring a figure whose contributions have left a lasting mark on the country’s development history.