Posthumous award granted to Lopa

JAKARTA (JP): President Megawati Soekarnoputri granted the second highest state medal Mahaputra Adiprana posthumously to the late attorney general Baharuddin Lopa on Wednesday.

The award was handed over in a ceremony at the State Palace, by the President to Lopa's widow Indrawulan, who appeared honored upon receiving the medal.

"I am very pleased as this is the visible proof that the government really respects bapak (her late husband). I thank you for the honor," Indrawulan said after the ceremony.

Lopa held the post of attorney general for less than one month during former president Abdurrahman Wahid's tenure before he suffered a heart attack and died.

Despite his brief tenure, he was known for his honesty and integrity as well as tenacity in dealing with major corruption and human rights abuse cases.

Megawati installed the new Attorney General M.A. Rachman later in the day.

The President also presented the Mahaputra Pratama award to Mochamad Achmad Sahjamuni, a prominent intelligence officer during the Dutch occupation from 1948 to 1949 and the Mahaputra Nararya medal to Indonesian language expert J.S.Badudu.

Three Jasa Utama medals were awarded to Piet Wiryawan Adimangkurat, Oemi Hani'in Soeseno and Radjab Semendawai.

Two Muslim figures Abdullah Abbas and Rusyad Nurdin also received the Jasa Utama medals, but the two did not attend the ceremony due to poor health.

The medals of honor were presented in conjunction with the 57th Independence Day celebration on Aug. 17.

As part of the celebration, the President is scheduled to deliver her first official address to the nation on Thursday morning at the House of Representatives.

Most Cabinet ministers attended the medal presentation ceremony with former foreign minister during president Sukarno's tenure, Ruslan Abdul Gani seen among the guests.

Megawati, took a moment to talk to Ruslan after the award ceremony. (dja)