Medal bestowed on Fatmawati
Medal bestowed on Fatmawati
JAKARTA (JP): The government has bestowed the Mahaputra
Adipradana medal on the late Fatmawati, the first wife of
Indonesia's first President, for her extraordinary services to
the nation.
The medal was handed over yesterday by President Soeharto to
Guntur Soekarno Putra, representing the heirs of the late
Fatmawati.
The medal was presented to the late Fatmawati under the
Presidential Decree No. 057/TK/94.
During the medal presentation ceremony held at the Merdeka
Palace yesterday, the President was accompanied by Madame Tien
Soeharto, Vice President Try Sutrisno and his wife Mrs. Tuty Try
Sutrisno, House Speaker Wahono, Chairman of the Supreme Advisory
Agency Sudomo and Chairman of the State Audit Agency J.B.
Sumarlin.
As soon as the presentation of the medal was over, the
President congratulated Guntur, the first of the Fatmawati-
Sukarno children, and Guntur's wife, Henny, as well as Guntur's
younger sisters and brother: Megawati, Rachmawati, Sukmawati and
Guruh Soekarno Putra.
Other guests followed the President to congratulate Guntur and
his sisters and brother. Mrs. Tien Soeharto was seen kissing the
cheek of Mrs. Henny later.
Guntur told reporters after the presentation of the medal that
on behalf of the late Fatmawati, his sisters and brother and the
Soekarno family, he thanked President Soeharto and the government
for the bestowal of medal.
"It is an honor for us because the government was willing to
honor our late mother," Guntur said.
"Frankly speaking I was moved when the President pinned the
medal on me but I tried to control myself so as to prevent tears
from falling from my eyes," he said.
Guntur said that the medal presentation reminded him of his
late mother's figure. "She was a tough woman who was consistent
on women's rights, emancipation and on the fight against
polygamy." He also recalled the hardship faced by the Soekarno
family after independence until the aborted communist coup d'etat
on Sept. 30, 1965.
Commenting on Heroes Day, to be commemorated nationwide today,
he reminded the people not to see the day as only a ceremony.
Instead they should teach its spirit to the current and future
generations, in an effort to intensify unity among the Indonesian
people, he said.
"I was deeply moved and cried as I remembered how my mother
cared about me and other children after the separation of my
mother and father," she said.
The ceremony was ended with a luncheon at which the President
sat together with Madame Tien and Guntur at one table while the
Vice President with chairman of the Indonesian Veterans
Association Ahmad Tahir. Megawati, Rachmawati, Sukmawati and
Guruh were grouped on another table. (hhr)