Late Mrs. Tien Soeharto to be declared national heroine

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will declare the late First Lady Mrs. Tien Soeharto a national heroine on Nov. 10 when the nation commemorates National Heroes Day.

Suyono Yahya, the assistant to Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare, revealed the plan to reporters yesterday after a monthly meeting of cabinet ministers led by the coordinating minister.

"The government will confer the national heroine title to Mrs. Siti Hartinah Soeharto during the commemoration of Heroes Day. It will also present the Mahaputra award to seven people for their outstanding contributions to the country," Suyono said.

State Minister for Women's Roles Mien Sugandhi was the first to propose that the heroine title should be conferred on Mrs. Tien, who passed away on April 28 in Jakarta.

In May, the Central Board for Supervision of Heroes endorsed the proposal after others made the same suggestion.

The board stated that the late first lady had made an outstanding contribution to the country and had met all the qualifications for the title.

Born on Aug. 23, 1923, Ibu Tien was widely known for her charity work and her efforts to promote art and culture after she became Indonesia's first lady almost 30 years ago.

Evidence of her monumental contribution includes the establishment of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, the Dharmais Cancer Hospital, the Harapan Kita Coronary Hospital and several social foundations.

The board also praised Mrs. Tien's role in the enactment of the Marriage Law in 1974: landmark legislation to uphold the dignity of Indonesian women. The bill became a source of contention for many during its deliberation. One point of contention was a clause making it difficult for men to practice polygamy.

Mrs. Tien's contribution to the nation dates back to the struggle for independence between 1945 and 1949, when she was in the women's militia and the Red Cross in her hometown, Surakarta, in Central Java.

It was during these years that she met Soeharto, who was a member of the young Indonesian revolutionary army, fighting against Dutch colonial forces.

Mrs. Tien has received many medals of honor, including the first class Bintang Gerilya and Bintang Mahaputra awards. She has also received 18 medals of honor from various countries.

At yesterday's meeting, Suyono named seven other late people to receive Mahaputra awards.

They were H.E. Kowara Adiwinata, member of the Supreme Advisory Board in from 1983 to 1988; Maj. Gen. (ret) Mas Isman, a former legislator and sixth assistant to the Army Chief in 1968- 1970; Abdul Aziz, a former advisor to the Indonesian Journalists' Association (PWI) and former chief editor of the Surabaya Post daily; Zulharmans, a PWI advisor from 1983 to 1988 and former chief editor of the Neraca business daily; and Hetami, a former chief editor of Suara Merdeka daily in Semarang, Central Java.

Noted film director, the late Usmar Ismail, and former chairperson of the Indonesian Film Artists' Association, the late Suryo Sumanto, will also receive Mahaputra awards. (ste)