Board recommends heroine title for the late Mrs. Tien

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)