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)