Jakarta — After being proposed three times to receive the title of national hero, Indonesia’s second president, Soeharto, has finally been awarded the title. The announcement of the conferment was delivered directly by President Prabowo Subianto during a ceremony at the State Palace on Monday (November 10, 2025). Soeharto became one of ten figures to receive the honor.
Many groups welcomed the government’s decision to bestow the title of National Hero upon Soeharto, including student elements represented by Barisan Muda Nusantara (BMN).
In relation to this, Barisan Muda Nusantara held a public discussion titled “Soeharto as a National Hero: Lessons from History and a Vision for Development” at Hotel Neo Tendean, South Jakarta, on Monday (November 10, 2025).
Coinciding with Heroes’ Day, the event featured three competent speakers from various backgrounds: Member of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) from the Golkar Party faction, Hj. Dr. Karmila Sari, S.Kom., M.M., observer Ganjar Darussalam, and academic Sahal Mubarok. The discussion was attended by around 150 participants, mostly student activists from several universities, including the University of Indonesia (UI), Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN), National University (UNAS), Pancasila University, Nusa Mandiri University, Al Aqidah Al Hasimiyyah Islamic Institute, and members of the Cipayung student organization network.
In her presentation, Karmila Sari stated that empirically, Soeharto’s leadership was crucial in ensuring political and national security stability. Referring to footage and films such as G30S/PKI, she emphasized that during the 1965 crisis, Soeharto managed to reorganize the political structure, restore national security, and rebuild public trust in the government. Soeharto was credited with saving the nation from chaos and restoring peace and order following the September 30th Movement.
“Pak Harto succeeded in reorganizing the national political order, establishing security stability, and restoring public confidence in the government. This was not an easy task. Without the leadership capability to take control, communism might have continued to grow,” said Karmila.
As president, Soeharto was also credited with laying the foundations of national development through the Trilogy of Development, which emphasized stability, growth, and equity (including the transmigration program).
“Soeharto is a hero not because he was a president, but as a national fighter. We must distinguish between a fighter and a president — a presidency is political, but we should appreciate his struggle. Although he earned the title of National Hero in the field of struggle and politics, his contribution goes beyond that,” she explained.
At the same event, Ganjar Darussalam added that the conferment of the national hero title under Presidential Decree No. 116/TK/2025 by President Prabowo — one of which was awarded to Soeharto — was very well-deserved.
“The conferral of the national hero title upon Soeharto is appropriate. It’s a form of respect for his services, not merely as a president, but as a patriotic son of Indonesia whose contributions remain impactful,” he said.
He admitted that, on the other hand, there were controversies. As students, one must study history and the phases of student movements — from the 1965–1966 struggle that toppled the Old Order, to the 1998 Reform movement that ended the New Order.
“We can’t ignore the human rights violations that occurred during that era. But we must also be honest — Soeharto left behind many positive legacies for the country’s development and stability. During his presidency, Indonesia saw major improvements in healthcare, education, food self-sufficiency, and infrastructure development — many of which we still enjoy today,” said the former Chairman of HMI West Java.
Meanwhile, Sahal Mubarok reflected on the perspectives and factual achievements mentioned by the previous speakers, emphasizing that Indonesians still benefit from Soeharto’s policies.
“In the context of debate and controversy, we all see discussions about Soeharto’s title across social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Nevertheless, we must assess the conferral of the National Hero title objectively,” he said.
He also noted that leadership capacity building is never easy — a single policy mistake can affect not just the individual but society and the nation as a whole. Soeharto, he argued, understood the weight of policymaking, and although not all of his decisions were accepted, many of his policies had long-lasting positive effects.
Soeharto succeeded in maintaining national stability and improving public welfare. During the New Order, Indonesia’s economy grew by an average of 7 percent, inflation was under control, and basic necessities remained affordable.
As widely known, President Prabowo Subianto officially awarded the title of National Hero to Soeharto, Indonesia’s second president.
At the ceremony held at the State Palace in Jakarta, the National Hero title was symbolically presented to two of Soeharto’s children, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana (Mbak Tutut) and Bambang Trihatmodjo.
(IDR)