Juwono Sudarsono Buried with Military Honours at Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Former Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono was buried with military honours at the Heroes’ Cemetery (TMP) Kalibata in South Jakarta on Sunday afternoon as a tribute to his services and dedication to the nation and state. The body of the late Juwono arrived at TMP Kalibata at 11.19 WIB, after being laid in state at the Ministry of Defence building in Jakarta earlier that morning. The burial procession began with the handover of the body from the family to the state for a military burial. Military honours and a salvo of shots accompanied the burial procession of Juwono. The burial ceremony was conducted solemnly, attended by family, relatives, and several national officials and figures, including Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago, Chairman of the Police Reform Acceleration Commission Jimly Asshiddiqie, and Deputy Minister of Environment Diaz Hendropriyono. The late Juwono Sudarsono passed away on Saturday (28/3) at 13.45 WIB at Pondok Indah Hospital in South Jakarta. During his lifetime, Juwono held various positions, including Minister of State for the Environment in the Seventh Development Cabinet under President Soeharto (1998), Minister of Education and Culture in the Reform Cabinet under President Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie (May 1998-October 1999), and Minister of Defence in the National Unity Cabinet under President Abdurrahman Wahid (October 1999-August 2000). Subsequently, he served as Minister of Defence in the United Indonesia Cabinet under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (21 October 2004-20 October 2009) and as Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Kingdom under President Megawati Soekarnoputri (12 June 2003-October 2004). The ceremony concluded with the lowering of the body into the grave and joint prayers, followed by the family scattering flowers as a final tribute.