Ex-president Soeharto's national hero nomination advances: Minister

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government may grant national hero status to the late second president of Indonesia, Soeharto, this year, according to Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf.

"All requirements to declare Mr. Soeharto a national hero have been met," Yusuf told reporters at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Wednesday (April 30).

He explained that official proposals to recognize Soeharto, who led Indonesia for over three decades, as a national hero were earlier submitted in 2010 and 2015, but both attempts failed due to legislative obstacles.

He affirmed that with that hurdle now resolved, the second president is more likely to be conferred the national hero title.

In addition to Soeharto, the Central Title Research and Assessment Team (TP2GP) has received more than 10 other names for consideration, including Indonesia’s fourth president, Abdurrahman Wahid, popularly known as Gus Dur.

Other proposed figures include prominent Islamic clerics from the provinces of East Java, North Sumatra, Central Sulawesi, and West Java.

Yusuf explained that the nomination process begins with citizens proposing candidates through regional governments, starting at the district or municipal level and moving up to the provincial level. These proposals are then forwarded to the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Regional governments have teams, similar to the TP2GP, to assess the candidates. Those deemed eligible are submitted to the national Title Council for further deliberations before the president makes the final decision.

"This council will provide recommendations to the president," the minister stated.

He affirmed that this year's deliberations on the proposed candidates are expected to conclude in the coming months.

"The president will make the final decisions in October or November. However, we aim to push the process to Title Council deliberations before August," Yusuf concluded.