Jakarta – The government is set to honor several national figures this year through the conferment of the National Hero title. Among the names proposed during the ongoing selection process is Indonesia’s second president, Soeharto. The proposal has drawn broad support from various religious mass organizations (ormas keagamaan) across the country, who believe Soeharto deserves recognition for his contributions in building Indonesia’s economic foundation, national stability, and sovereignty.
Chairman of the Central Leadership of Al Washliyah Youth Movement (PP GPA), Aminullah Siagian, emphasized that honoring national figures like Soeharto is not merely symbolic — it is a form of acknowledgment for the significant contributions he made to Indonesia’s development.
“This nation must be honest with its own history. No human being is perfect, but the great service of a national figure should not be erased simply due to political differences or past perceptions,” he said.
Aminullah added that Soeharto’s leadership brought about major transformations in the life of the nation, particularly in infrastructure development, food self-sufficiency, and social stability — all of which became crucial foundations for Indonesia’s progress in the modern era.
“Soeharto was a leader capable of navigating Indonesia through a difficult post-independence transition toward a structured era of national development,” he added.
This sentiment was echoed by Ahmad Fahrur Rozi, also known as Gus Fahrur, the Head of the Religious Affairs Division of Nahdlatul Ulama’s Central Board (PBNU), who expressed full support for the proposal to grant Soeharto the title of National Hero.
“During his era, Indonesia was recognized globally as one of Asia’s emerging economic powers, thanks to well-planned development programs and high levels of economic and security stability,” he explained.
Similarly, Dadang Kahmad, Chairman of Muhammadiyah’s Central Board for Library, Information, and Digitalization Affairs, stated that Soeharto’s contributions to the national struggle were evident not only during his presidency but also from the time of the independence revolution.
“We support President Soeharto’s recognition as a National Hero because he made significant contributions to the Republic of Indonesia — from the revolutionary period to the era of national development,” he said.
For religious organizations, the proposal to name Soeharto a National Hero represents an act of historical reconciliation and respect for a national figure who made substantial contributions to the country. They believe it is time for the Indonesian nation to assess its history objectively, fairly, and proportionally — free from the political biases of the past.
Support from these religious organizations is expected to serve as a moral consideration and to reinforce the patriotic values embodied in the honor. The recognition, they assert, is not only about revisiting the past but also about teaching future generations to appreciate and continue the legacy of the nation’s founding and development leaders.
The government is currently reviewing various nominations for National Hero titles to honor figures who have rendered outstanding service to the nation. Recognition of Soeharto’s contributions is expected to enrich Indonesia’s national historical narrative and strengthen the spirit of unity amid contemporary challenges.
