House supports title for Mrs. Tien

House supports title for Mrs. Tien

JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives urged the
government yesterday to confer on the late Mrs. Tien Soeharto the
title of national heroine for her outstanding services to
Indonesia.

"The minister of social services, who has the authority to
confer the title of national hero or heroine on prominent
figures, should give a quick response to the public call," House
Commission VIII chairman Akip Renatin told journalists.

House Commission VIII, which oversees social affairs,
recommended that the State Ministry of Women's Roles and the
Ministry of Social Services accept public appeals to declare her
a heroine.

The House's call to confer the title on the First Lady, who
died of a heart attack on Sunday, was only the latest. State
Minister of Women's Roles Mien Sugandhi was the first to come up
with the idea.

Her proposal has since received affirmative responses from
several quarters, notably government officials.

Mrs. Tien Soeharto, who died at 72, was the recipient of
numerous medals of honor, including Bintang Gerilya and Bintang
Mahaputra, high honors which make her eligible for the heroine
title.

Akip said Mrs. Tien Soeharto played an outstanding role in the
promotion of people's welfare, the health status of mothers and
children, the education of neglected children and in helping the
disabled.

The First Lady's death has provoked debates on who will
accompany President Soeharto to state events as the law on
protocol does not require that an Indonesian head of state should
be flanked by his or her spouse.

Numerous politicians have thrown their support behind
proposals that Soeharto's eldest daughter, Siti Hardiyanti
Rukmana, better-known as Mbak Tutut, step into her mother's
shoes.

For instance, deputy House Speaker Surjadi has said that Mbak
Tutut is suitable to accompany Soeharto, because she has ample
experience in taking part in both local and international events.

Ben Messakh, a legislator from the ruling Golkar party, argues
that the question of who will replace Mrs. Tien Soeharto in state
events is not a principle issue because it is not regulated in
the protocol law.

Also showing support for Mbak Tutut is Sri Soemantri, an
expert on constitutional laws. He said the President's eldest
daughter can assume the function in the First Lady's absence.

He was quoted by the Jawa Pos newspaper as saying that there
is an international convention that a head of state's eldest
daughter can represent the First Lady.

"But I call on the People's Consultative Assembly to discuss
this matter to establish its formal legality," he said. (pan)