10 governors, 5 ministers' wives and Tutut awarded

JAKARTA (JP): Siti Hardiyanti Hastuti Indra Rukmana, daughter of President Soeharto, along with 10 governors and the wives of five cabinet ministers were among 35 recipients of this year's Mahaputra medal, the nation's second highest award.

President Soeharto presented the distinguished award yesterday in a ceremony at the State Palace.

Hardiyanti, fondly known as Tutut, received the Mahaputera Nararya medal for her social work as chairwoman of the Indonesian Social Workers Association and chief of the Indonesian Red Cross.

The Mahaputra is the second most prestigious medal after the Bintang Republik Indonesia.

The Mahaputra is divided into five classes: Adipurna, Adipradana, Utama, Pratama and Nararya.

The medals are given out each year in conjunction with Aug. 17 independence celebrations

Tutut received yesterday the Mahaputra Pratama along with East Java Governor Basofi Sudirman, Central Java Governor Soewardi, and North Sulawesi Governor E.E. Mangindaan.

The highest distinction presented yesterday was the Mahaputra Adipradana to Lt. Gen. (ret.) Ashari Danudirdjo, a former minister of light industry in the late 1960s.

Seven other governors -- Bali's Ida Bagus Oke, Lampung's Poedjono Pranyoto, Riau's Soeripto, Jambi's Abdurrahman Sayoeti, East Kalimantan's M. Ardans, West Nusa Tenggara's Warsito and South Sumatra's Ramli Hasan Basri -- were awarded the Mahaputra Utama.

Also receiving the Mahaputra Utama were wives of five cabinet ministers: Fauzia Saleh Afiff, wife of the coordinating minister for economy and finance; Hartini Hartarto, wife of the coordinating minister for production and distribution; Marijati Moerdiono, wife of the minister/state secretary; Yultin Harlotina Ginandjar Kartasasmita, wife of the state minister of national development planning; and Romadhiyati Harmoko, wife of the state minister of special assignments

There was no speech at yesterday's brief but solemn event.

Tutut, a 48-year-old mother of four, is a renowned and successful businesswoman and is deputy chief of the dominant Golkar faction.

Her widely diversified business covers toll road construction, banking, pulp and heavy industries, trading, engineering, TV and radio stations, and oil palm plantations.

Her work has also been felt in the field of diplomacy as head of the Portugal-Indonesia Friendship Association.

"I am very moved by this award," said Tutut drabbed in a scarf, a trademark often identified with her since she performed the haj pilgrimage in 1990.

The eldest of Soeharto's six children, she has been seen by her father's side more often since the death of her mother, Siti Hartinah, in April last year.

She has recently been touted as a possible vice presidential candidate. Golkar secretary-general Ary Mardjono hinted in April that Golkar might nominate Tutut.

Also among recipients of the Mahaputra were economist Mubyarto, National Atomic Agency director general H.M. Iyos Rosadi Subki, Supreme Advisory Council member G.M. Tampubolon, head of the Institute for State Personnel Administration Soenarko, and head of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences Sufyan Tsauri. (prb)