Megawati Receives Highest Honour from President of Timor-Leste

Indonesia’s fifth President and Chairperson of the PDI Perjuangan, Megawati Soekarnoputri, was officially awarded the highest honour from the Government of Timor-Leste, the Grande Colar da Ordem de Timor-Leste, on Thursday. The award was presented directly by President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta. The grand investiture ceremony was held solemnly at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace in Dili. Upon arrival, Megawati was greeted by vibrant local art and traditional dance performances before being warmly welcomed by President Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão. She was accompanied by family members and a central delegation from PDI Perjuangan, including Puti Guntur Soekarno, Romy Soekarno, Secretary-General Hasto Kristiyanto, and senior party officials Bintang Puspayoga, Ahmad Basarah, Andreas H. Pareira, and Andi Widjajanto. Prior to the main procession, both parties held a formal bilateral meeting. The event then moved to the main chamber for the reading of Presidential Decree No. 72/2026 regarding the conferment of the honorary title. Chief of the Presidential Staff Henriqueta Maria da Silva read that the award, based on Law No. 2/2009, was given for Megawati’s significant contribution to strengthening friendship, dialogue, and the normalisation of bilateral relations following the restoration of Timor-Leste’s independence. In his speech, President Ramos-Horta specifically praised Megawati’s crucial role during the difficult transition period of Indonesia’s Reformasi era. He noted that she calmly accepted the constitutional decision to serve as Vice President, placing the interests of democracy above her legitimate personal aspirations, a choice he described as representing one of the highest proofs of true statesmanship. He also humorously referred to Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão as a summa cum laude graduate of ‘Cipinang University’. In her response, Megawati stated that the Grand Collar was not an end, but a mandate and a promise for the future that Indonesia and Timor-Leste must continue to work on. She described the award as a chain whose links support one another, symbolising a friendship that must extend from one generation to the next without ever breaking. She also urged the younger generations of both countries to nurture this equal relationship. In a lighter moment, Megawati recounted her first memory of visiting Dili, joking that she would never forget the explosive heat of the local bird’s eye chilli, which she described as more explosive than a bomb. She revealed she had already sent her staff to the Dili market to buy the chillies as souvenirs, drawing laughter from the attendees. Following the ceremony, a warm moment unfolded during the luncheon when a band played the classic Indonesian song ‘Cinta Hampa’ by D’Lloyd. Recognising it as one of Megawati’s favourites, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão approached her table and invited her to the stage for a duet. Megawati enthusiastically accepted, singing as the lead vocalist while Xanana played the role of an interactive duet partner. After the performance, Xanana politely escorted her back to her seat, jokingly calling her an ‘artist from Indonesia’, which sparked laughter and applause from the guests.