Recitation of Surah Yasin and Tahlil Mark the Birthday Commemoration of Megawati Soekarnoputri's First Husband

The birthday of Megawati Soekarnoputri’s first husband, Captain (Posthumous) Pilot Surindro Supjarso, was commemorated with a flower scattering ceremony at sea in the Thousand Islands, North Jakarta, by officials from the Jakarta Regional Executive Board of PDI Perjuangan. The commemoration continued with a tahlil and recitation of Surah Yasin by members of the Central Board of Baitul Muslimin Indonesia (Bamusi) at the At-Taufiq Mosque in Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta, on Sunday (5/7/2026).

‘The deceased perished when the Skyvan T-701 aircraft he was piloting crashed in the waters off Biak, Irian Jaya, now known as Papua, on 22 January 1970,’ explained Ahmad Basarah, Chairman of the PDI Perjuangan Central Board, who delivered a speech during the tahlil event.

According to Ahmad Basarah, had he lived, Surindro, who was born on 5 July 1943, would have been 83 years old. The son of Dr. A. Dadi Djokodipo graduated from the Indonesian Air Force Military Academy and was commissioned as a second lieutenant pilot in 1967. He was assigned as a member of Squadron 42, Operations Wing 003, at Iswahyudi Air Force Base in Madiun and became a pilot of the TU-16 KS Badger bomber.

Basarah explained that Megawati married on 27 May 1968, one year after the coup against Bung Karno was carried out by the New Order regime. ‘At that time, not many political figures and community leaders dared to get close to Bung Karno, let alone become part of his family. But because of his great love for Mrs. Megawati Soekarnoputri, the late Surindro decided to marry her,’ he recalled.

From the marriage, two sons were born: Moh. Rizki Pratama and Muhamad Prananda Prabowo. On 22 January 1970, Megawati’s first husband was involved in an accident in the waters of Biak and perished along with seven accompanying crew members. To this day, the bodies of Surindro and the seven other crew members have never been found.

Ahmad Basarah, representing the extended family of Prof Dr (HC) Megawati Soekarnoputri at the tahlil event, conveyed the PDI Perjuangan Chairperson’s gratitude to all parties who had prayed and expressed sympathy over the loss of one of the nation’s best sons. ‘May the good deeds of the deceased be accepted by Allah SWT,’ said Ahmad Basarah.

In his sermon, KH Zuhri Yaqub MA stated that the late Surindro Supjarso was a good person. The Vice Rais Syuriah of the Jakarta PWNU explained that a characteristic of a good person is that they continue to be remembered and prayed for after their death. ‘Hopefully, through this commemoration of the deceased’s birthday, his services and positive story will become better known to the nation’s generation,’ said Zuhri Yaqub.