Board recommends heroine title for the late Mrs. Tien

JAKARTA (JP): The Central Board for the Supervision of Heroes yesterday endorsed appeals to confer the award of national heroine on the late First Lady Mrs. Tien Soeharto.

Minister of Social Services Inten Suweno, who chairs the board, led a meeting yesterday to discuss the proposal, put forward by various members of the public following Mrs. Tien's death on April 28 in Jakarta.

"Mrs. Tien meets all the qualifications for the title," Inten said in a written statement issued by her office.

The former first lady, she added, had made outstanding contributions to the country.

The decision came as President Soeharto officially returned to his state duties for the first time since Mrs. Tien's death.

"He was smiling again," Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief said, describing his meeting with the President at the Merdeka Palace earlier in the day.

On Monday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Wahono, gave his endorsement to the proposal, which was first made by State Minister for Women's Affairs Mien Sugandhi.

The heroes board -- which consists of officials, historians and scholars -- each year determines the recipients of the awards, which traditionally are conferred on their heirs by President Soeharto on National Heroes Day on Nov. 10.

The board will write to President Soeharto next week about its proposal, submitting the list of Mrs. Tien's accomplishments.

Born on Aug. 23, 1923, Mrs. Tien was widely known for many of her charity works and promotion of art and culture during her tenure as the country's first lady for the past 28 years.

Evidence of her monumental contributions include the establishment of the Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature Park (Taman Mini), the Dharmais Cancer Hospital, the Harapan Kita Coronary Hospital and other social foundations, Inten said.

Inten also underlined Mrs. Tien's role in the enactment of the Marriage Law in 1974, a landmark legislation in upholding the dignity of Indonesian women. One of the contentious points in the legislation was the clause that made it difficult for men to practice polygamy.

Mrs. Tien's contribution to the nation dates back to the independence struggle years between 1945 and 1949, when she took part in the women's militia and the red cross in her hometown in Surakarta, Central Java.

It was also during these years that she met Soeharto, who was then a member of the young Indonesian revolutionary army fighting against Dutch colonial forces.

Mrs. Tien was the recipient of numerous medals of honor, including the first class Bintang Gerilya and the Bintang Mahaputra. She received no less than 18 medals of honor from various countries, including the first class of the Order of the Precious Crown from Japan and the first class Knight Grand Cross of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chon Klao from Thailand. (ste)