Religious Leaders, Political Parties, and Academics Agree: Soeharto Deserves National Hero Title
Jakarta – This year, the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) has submitted several names of national figures to the Chairman of the Council for Titles, Decorations, and Honors (GTK) to be considered for the title of National Hero. A total of 49 figures have been prepared to receive this status, with 24 prioritized for the honor. However, not everyone agrees on the matter, and controversy has arisen over the proposal to award former President Soeharto the title.
Chairman of PBNU, Ahmad Fahrur Rozi (Gus Fahrur), expressed his support for Kemensos’ proposal to the Council, which also includes Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), as National Heroes. He emphasized that Indonesia must learn from its past, both its strengths and weaknesses, to build a wiser and more civilized future.
“In Islamic scholarly tradition, there is an important principle: Al-muhafazhah ‘ala al-qadim ash-shalih wal akhdzu bil jadid al-ashlah — preserve what is good from the past and adopt what is better from the new,” Gus Fahrur said in Jakarta.
Similarly, Chairman of PP Muhammadiyah, Dadang Kahmad, stated that Soeharto is an important figure in Indonesia’s history, deserving recognition for his dedication and contributions both during the struggle for independence and his national leadership.
“We support Mr. Soeharto as a National Hero because he has greatly contributed to the Republic of Indonesia, from the revolution to the development era,” he said.
Dadang highlighted Soeharto’s achievements, including rice self-sufficiency in the 1980s, the family planning (KB) program that successfully curbed population growth, and maintaining economic, political, and security stability during his administration.
“When honoring someone’s heroism, it should not be viewed through political differences or other interests, but solely for the benefit of the nation and state, regardless of a person’s shortcomings or mistakes,” he added.
Meanwhile, Minister of Culture (Menbud) Fadli Zon emphasized that there is no evidence showing that Indonesia’s 2nd President, Soeharto, was involved in the 1965–1966 genocide. According to him, accusations against Soeharto have never been proven legally or supported by valid historical facts.
“There is no evidence of his involvement in the genocide. So who can prove it? The awarding of the National Hero title must be based on objective assessment of someone’s service and contribution to the nation,” he asserted.
From the academic sector, Professor Marsuki, a faculty member at Hasanuddin University, considers Soeharto one of the nation’s finest sons to have served as President. Despite public controversy, Soeharto made significant contributions to Indonesia’s development and economic growth during his leadership.
“Over more than 30 years of leading, with numerous developments implemented, he is highly deserving of the National Hero title,” Marsuki said.
From the political side, Chairperson of DPP NasDem, Irma Suryani Chaniago, supports the proposal to grant Soeharto the National Hero title. She noted that Soeharto left many positive legacies for Indonesia and urged the public to also see his accomplishments despite public debate.
“During his tenure, he left behind many valuable legacies for Indonesia. If there is controversy, it is natural, but we must also recognize the positive contributions he made in leading the nation,” Irma said.
Previously, Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf confirmed that most of the proposed names were the result of discussions from previous years. The selection process involved multiple layers, engaging various parties from local communities to central expert teams.
