10 governors, 5 ministers' wives and Tutut awarded
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)