Mega to award medals of honor to 16 people

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government will honor 16 people, including former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, for their services to the country by presenting them with awards.

The awards are traditionally presented annually before Independence Day to those people who have made significant contributions to the country.

Ali Sadikin and the late Purbacaraka, a Javanese cultural expert, will be bestowed the Bintang Mahaputra, the country's second highest honor. The highest honor is the Bintang Republik Indonesia.

Ali Sadikin was chosen to receive the Bintang Mahaputra for his contributions to developing Jakarta during his tenure from 1966 to 1977.

Purbacaraka is remembered as a leading figure in Javanese literature and the author of a Javanese language dictionary.

Batam Authority chairman Ismeth Abdullah and the late Gen. George Andrew N., a Canadian who helped Indonesia gain independence in 1949, will be bestowed the Bintang Jasa Utama.

Twelve noted artists will receive the Bintang Budaya Parama Dharma, including Sardono W. Kusumo, Christine Hakim, A.A. Navis and A.T. Mahmud.

"The awards will be presented by President Megawati Soekarnoputri. For those (recipients) who have passed away, the stars will be bestowed on National Heroes Day on November 10," the military secretary to the President, Maj. Gen. Tb. Hassanudin, said on Wednesday.

He said eight of the 16 honorees would receive the awards on Thursday during a ceremony at the State Palace.

The country's highest honor, the Bintang Republik Indonesia, will not be awarded this year.

"Only several people have received this highest honor, including all former presidents and vice presidents," Hassanudin said.

Others who have received the Bintang Republik Indonesia include Gen. Soedirman, Sartono, Maramis, LN. Palar, Saffruddin Prawiranegara, Agus Salim and Abdul Wahid Hasyim.

---------------------------------------------------------------- Honors List -----------------------------------------------------------------

Recipients of the Bintang Mahaputera Adipradana

Ali Sadikin

Purbacaraka

Recipients of the Bintang Jasa Utama

Ismeth Abdullah

Gen. George Andrew N.

Recipients of the Bintang Budaya Parama Dharma

Teuku Abdullah

Edhi Sunarso

Sardono W. Kusumo

Ki Empu Djeno Harum Brodjo

Christine Hakim

Abdullah Totong Mahmud (A.T. Mahmud)

A.A. Navis

Tan Tjen Boek

Vivi Young

Miss Tjitjih

Ki Suratman

Bing Slamet ----------------------------------------------------------------