November 6, 2025 | 03:33 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Several demonstrators staged a protest at the Indonesian Ministry of Culture on Thursday, November 6, 2025, opposing the conferral of the national hero title to former President Soeharto.
The ministry, headed by Fadli Zon, also chairs the Council of Awards, Medals, and Honors, which oversees the nominations.
One protester from Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) highlighted Soeharto’s alleged corruption during his 32-year rule.
“The former president is never worthy of being a hero because he is the father of corruption in Indonesia,” said Egi Primayoga, Head of ICW’s Corruption and Politics Division, during a speech in front of the ministry office.
Egi criticized the failure of the reform movement to bring Soeharto to justice after his resignation in 1998. He cited numerous alleged corruption cases linked to foundations owned by Soeharto, including the Supersemar Foundation, which remained unresolved until the former leader’s death in 2008.
Beyond corruption, Egi accused Soeharto and his associates of human rights violations, widespread murders, collusion, nepotism, and environmental damage.
ICW also criticized the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) for revoking Soeharto’s name from Decree Number XI/MPR/1998, which had mandated investigations into his corruption, collusion, and nepotism cases.
“This move goes against the spirit of the 1998 Reform,” Egi said.
The protest, conducted alongside the Civil Society Justice Soeharto Movement (Gemas), took place from 11:00 AM to 01:00 PM WIB. Fadli Zon did not meet with the demonstrators.
Fadli Zon has previously affirmed that Soeharto meets the requirements for the National Hero title, which is expected to be announced on Heroes’ Day, November 10, 2025.
The Gerindra Party politician explained that the Council of Awards, Medals, and Honors (GTK) received 49 names proposed by the Ministry of Social Affairs through a study by the Center for Research and Assessment of Awards (TP2GP). Nine of these candidates had been previously nominated.
Out of the 49 names, the GTK prioritized 24 for potential hero recognition. Fadli Zon did not confirm whether Soeharto was among these 24 but reiterated that he met the criteria.
“For those names, all of them meet the requirements, including President Soeharto, who has been proposed three times,” Fadli Zon said at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, November 5, 2025.
Eka Yudha Saputra contributed to the writing of this article.
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