By: Amil Aziz *
Gray history of this country happened in 1998 ago. When, Suharto, the president was elected for the umpteenth time. The people who have been silent, save coal. There was massive mass amok, especially in the Java region. A demand that Suharto step down was echoed. Almost every day, at that time, demonstrations continued. One demand was that Suharto step down from power. And the end, May 13-14, 1998. Massive demonstrations were held in Jakarta. The day was gripping Jakarta. And riots erupted.
At the Soegeng Sarjadi Syndicate (SSS) event on December 18, 2012, Prabowo delivered a rather shocking statement, “I am Lieutenant General, former Commander of the Army Strategic Reserve Command who is almost a coup, regretting that I did not become a coup”. This statement may be delivered without any serious intention from Prabowo, but the statement reminds us of the history of wounds that have occurred in this country. The historical wound occurred during the transition of power from the Soeharto regime which was overthrown after his tyrant ruled the country for 32 years. Then, the power was switched to vice president BJ. Habibie, who later replaced Suharto, became President of the Republic of Indonesia. But in reality in the past, the position of the position was “tempting” other officials and trying to “take over” his power which until now is still full of question marks about what really happened.
In the history recorded in the minds of the Indonesian people, Prabowo was hit by two serious accusations in the leadership transition era in 1998. The first accusation, Prabowo was suspected of being the mastermind behind the riots that occurred in May 1998 which caused many lives and looting, riots which indicated conflict that occurred inside the ABRI body. Even President Habibie formed a Joint Fact Finding Team (TGPF) to look for Prabowo’s involvement in the 1998 riots. Until now the results of TGPF’s findings have never been clearly conveyed to the public, what and how much Prabowo’s involvement in the 1998 riots .
The second accusation, Prabowo was suspected of taking over force after the overthrow of President Soeharto from power was replaced by President Habibie. This suspicion originated from the report of the ABRI Commander who was then held by General Wiranto reporting to President Habibie that there was a concentration of Kostrad forces movement under Prabowo’s command around Habibie’s residence, which later concluded that Prabowo’s actions were an attempt to conduct a coup. The movement of Prabowo’s troops was very worried by President Habibie, because Prabowo as Commander of Kostrad was in charge of a force of 11,000 army personnel who was addressed by President Habanto by ordering Wiranto to dismiss Prabowo as Pangkostrad and replaced by a new Pangkostrad to withdraw the troops who had entered the city Jakarta at that time. Prabowo argued that it was to secure the President. However, Habibie did not believe and continued his decision to remove Prabowo and occupy a new position as the ABRI Commander of the Command Staff School (Dansesko) replacing Lt. Gen. Arie J Kumaat. President Habibie considered that was not good at the time, because when the Republic of Indonesia was still precarious, Prabowo’s actions could influence other commanders to act independently, without coordination
Prabowo’s facts about the coup d’état above, should also be an important moment for us as citizens who demand clarity about what really happened in that era. Is it wise that the future leaders who are still bound by the dark history of this nation are proposing themselves to become leaders of the nation? How many children of the nation have died in 1998 from Sabang to Merauke to release the chain from the shackles of the New Order or the New Order so that they are more free to receive and receive information like now?
How wiser it would be if the prospective leader cleared his name from the historical wounds that occurred in the dark process of this nation. Give positive education to the people and young generation of this nation about how to see a leader. Do not let the easy forgetting history of most people become a habit in the process of this nation’s state. Many people are of the opinion that figures who are directly involved with the events surrounding May 21, 1998 should express what they know and feel. Thus the people themselves will judge who is right who is not right.
*) FISIP Student of Yogyakarta Muhammadiyah University