Mega honors leading nationals

Mega honors leading nationals

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

As part of the annual Independence Day celebrations, President
Megawati Soekarnoputri conferred on Saturday medals of honor to
13 people who had made significant contributions to the country.

Former rector of the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University
and conservationist Koesnadi Hardjasoemantri; former National
Police chief, the late Hoegeng Imam Santoso; writer and
journalist, the late Mochtar Lubis; and former ambassador at
large during the former president Soekarno era, the late Supeni
were awarded the Bintang Mahaputra, the country's second highest
state medal.

The country's most prestigious medal, the Bintang Republik
Indonesia, has not been awarded this year.

Koesnadi was present at the ceremony at the State Palace,
while family members of the three other Bintang recipients
collected the medals.

House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung, acting
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Hari
Sabarno and Megawati's husband, Taufik Kiemas, were also present.

United Development Party senior legislator Aisyah Amini, who
has sat in the House since 1977, was chosen to receive the
Bintang Jasa Utama, an award given to people for their services
to the country.

Aisyah, one of the longest serving lawmakers, will end her
tenure in September.

The same medal went to Home Affairs Ministry Inspector General
Sinyo Sarundajang, champion of woman rights Winarsih Soedarbo,
researchers Lindajati Tanuwijaya, Susono and Suwarto
Martosudirjo, and senior neurosurgeon Padmo Santjojo.

Sarundajang was credited for his role in stewarding the
strife-torn Maluku province back to peace in the wake of a
protracted sectarian conflict during his tenure as an interim
governor there.

Megawati also presented the Bintang Jasa Pratama to Saiful
Rasyid, the regent of Hulu Sungai Tengah in South Kalimantan

Saiful had successfully persuaded the native tribespeople of
the province, the Dayaks, to grow meranti trees and to regreen
the tropical rain forest.

Also on Saturday, Megawati met with a group of high achievers
selected from provinces nationwide.

They are invited to the official ceremony commemorating the
59th anniversary of an independant Indonesia at the Merdeka
Palace on Tuesday, which Megawati will preside over.