JP\/5\/5PALACE<\/p>\n
Hangabehi crowned Surakarta sultan amid controversy<\/p>\n
Blontank Poer
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Surakarta
\n
\nPrince Hangabehi was crowned Sultan of Surakarta on Friday at
\nSurakarta Palace, succeeding his late father, Pakoeboewono XII,
\nmarred by a controversy surrounding the legitimacy of the
\nsuccession.<\/p>\n
High-ranking government officials were absent from the
\nceremony in Surakarta, Central Java, which has been the site of a
\npower struggle between Hangabehi and Tejowulan, a half-brother
\nwho was crowned Surakarta sultan two weeks earlier.<\/p>\n
Friday's crowning ceremony was held amid high tension, and
\nhundreds of security personnel -- selected from among members of
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and youth
\ngroup Pemuda Pancasila (PP) -- were on the alert in every corner
\nof the palace.<\/p>\n
The PDI-P and PP belong to the Hangabehi camp, which is backed
\nby Princess Moertiyah, an outspoken PDI-P legislator.<\/p>\n
Also on the scene were hundreds of policemen, who were
\ndeployed to anticipate a possible clash during the crowning
\nceremony between the supporters of the two princes.<\/p>\n
The ceremony proceeded without incident as Hangabehi, the
\neldest son of the late sultan, who died in June, climbed the
\nstairs to the central Sitihinggil building in the palace
\ncompound.<\/p>\n
Hangabehi vowed to protect the people of Surakarta and promote
\npeople's welfare, and was crowned as Sultan of Surakarta.<\/p>\n
While hundreds of guests attended the ceremony, none were
\nprominent government figures, although palace officials had
\nboasted earlier that distinguished guests would be present.<\/p>\n
Tejowulan -- who was crowned two weeks ago outside the royal
\ncompound, which was then under the control of Hangabehi's
\nsupporters -- and his sympathizers within Surakarta Palace were
\nnot to be seen.<\/p>\n
Many regret the power struggle in Surakarta, including Merle
\nCalvin Ricklefs, a University of Melbourne historian, who wrote
\nin an-email to The Jakarta Post that a respected mediator needed
\nto be appointed to bring the conflict to an end so as to preserve
\nthe integrity of Surakarta Palace in the eyes of its people.<\/p>\n
A senior Surakarta Palace official, Prince Haryomataram,
\nconcurred, saying the government had to step in.<\/p>\n
The bitter feud arose when Pakoeboewono XII died without
\nnaming his legitimate successor.<\/p>\n
Hangabehi claimed his right to the throne as the eldest son,
\nbut was hotly contested by Tejowulan and other members of the
\nroyal family, who that Hangabehi was not credible and lacked
\nintegrity, and was thus unfit to be sultan.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp55palace-1447899208",
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