Family welfare award for 'Ibu' Tien

Family welfare award for 'Ibu' Tien

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto received an award yesterday
on behalf of his late wife, Tien Soeharto, honoring her
outstanding contribution to the Family Welfare Movement.

In a simple ceremony at Soeharto's private residence on Jl.
Cendana, Central Jakarta, Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie
S.M. said the Paramahita Nugraha award was presented because of
Tien's major role in the movement whose aim is to improve
Indonesian families' standard of living.

The award was presented to Soeharto by Yogie's wife, Emmy, in
her capacity as the chairwoman of the grassroots family welfare
movement which is known as the Pembinaan Kesejahteraan Keluarga
or PKK.

"As the initiator of PKK, she has rendered her country many
services," Emmy cited as the main reason for the organization to
present the award.

Soeharto's wife, better known as Ibu Tien, died in April 1996.

Tien was very active in the social services field. Among her
brainchilds was Taman Mini Indonesia Indah -- the Indonesia in
miniature park -- opened in 1975 despite student protests that
the project was too costly. Even her critics later had to admit
the importance of the park.

Tien also chaired several charity foundations and built
several hospitals including the cardiac center Harapan Kita.

The government declared her a national heroine in November
1996.

"Each family must be given fishhooks and not just the fish,"
Emmy recalled as Tien's philosophy in developing PKK.

Emmy said the Paramahita award was given to activists who had
demonstrated their devotion to PKK.

"Eight people have received the award, including Ibu Tien and
myself," said Emmy.

PKK won international recognition in 1995 when the United
Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
granted it the Noma Prize for its leading role in the global
campaign against illiteracy.

After visiting PKK centers in Central Java and in Jakarta in
1994, U.S. first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton praised the movement
for its role in encouraging learning, alleviating poverty and
promoting family welfare in Indonesia. (prb)