Soeharto, Nasution, Soedirman get five stars

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto, Gen. (ret) A.H. Nasution and the late Gen. Soedirman were granted yesterday honorary five-star general ranks.

An Armed Forces delegation, led by Armed Forces Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung, visited Soeharto and Nasution at their residences to bestow the rank.

The five-star rank for Gen. Soedirman will be conferred posthumously today at the newly completed Soedirman Hall in Tebet, South Jakarta. A close family member is expected to attend today's ceremony.

Feisal said the three prominent military figures were awarded the illustrious rank for their monumental services to the country.

Feisal and eight generals first went to Soeharto's residence on Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta, knocking on the door at 1 p.m.

Feisal said Soeharto deserved the honor because of his meritorious and extraordinary service.

"He has succeeded in carrying out all the tasks and duties with very excellent results," he said.

He then quoted Soeharto as saying: "I am very proud of this honor, and I dedicate this to the nation and the state as an expression of my love for my country.

Feisal expects Soeharto, 76, to put on his military uniform, with the five stars on his shoulders, at Sunday's celebration of the Armed Forces 52nd anniversary.

Soeharto will lead the ceremony, to be held at Halim Perdana Kusumah Air Force Base in East Jakarta.

Speaking to reporters after the visit, Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. A. Wahab Mokodongan dismissed allegations that the award was politically motivated.

"The award does not have any political motivation. The initiative came from the bottom of our (ABRI members') hearts," Wahab said.

"It has nothing to do with the President's position as ABRI's supreme commander, either," he added.

Born on June 8, 1921, Soeharto began his military career in 1941.

As a lieutenant colonel, he led a historical military operation at the dawn of March 1, 1949, pushing out occupying Dutch troops from Yogyakarta for several hours.

Soeharto also led the successful military operation to liberate Irian from the Dutch in the 1960s.

His most acclaimed achievement was crushing the attempted coup by the Indonesian Communist Party on Oct. 1, 1965.

Soeharto was appointed acting President on March 12, 1967, and elected President the following year in a general meeting of the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly.

He retired from active military service as a four-star general on June 30, 1976.

After visiting Soeharto's residence, Feisal and his delegation then proceeded to Nasution's residence.

Nasution said he was proud and touched by the honorary five- star general rank.

"It shows us that they (ABRI members) never forget their aging seniors," he said.

Nasution said he would attend the Armed Forces' anniversary on Sunday donning the new rank.

Nasution's wife, Yohana, also expressed her joy at the award given to her husband. "He'll look more dashing in his uniform with five stars on,"

Later yesterday afternoon, State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie dropped by Nasution's residence.

Reporters quickly jumped on Habibie asking him if his surprise visit was politically motivated.

"I've been here several times. And I come here today to greet Pak Nasution as a five-star general," he remarked.

Habibie said Indonesians, mainly Armed Forces members, must be proud that they now have several five-star generals. (prb/imn)

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