Sukarno's children hail govt merit for Fatmawati
Sukarno's children hail govt merit for Fatmawati
JAKARTA (JP): Children of Indonesia's first-ever first lady,
the late Fatmawati Sukarno, welcome the government's plan to
confer on her the Bintang Mahaputra, the highest medal for
meritorious service.
"We are glad. Our mother deserved the merit," Sukmawati
Soekarnoputri, one of Fatmawati's five children, told The Jakarta
Post yesterday.
Sukmawati said that her mother's devotion to the country
deserved recognition. "She contributed mightily to the country's
independence," she said.
Sukmawati, however, agreed that the presentation of the merit
was somewhat late. "But still we are happy about this," she
added.
Guntur Soekarnoputra, Fatmawati's eldest son, refrained from
commenting on the award, saying the Sukarno family members first
learned of the plan from the local papers.
"I will give my comments after we receive an official notice
from the government," he said.
The award will be given to one of Fatmawati's children during
a ceremony commemorating the National Heroes' Day on Nov. 10, 14
years after she died of a heart attack in Kuala Lumpur.
She will be the only recipient of the award of the highest
category this year.
According to the national encyclopedia, Fatmawati sewed the
red-and-white flag that was hoisted on Aug. 17, 1945, when
Sukarno proclaimed Indonesia's independence.
Her name is immortalized in the Fatmawati General Hospital in
South Jakarta and the road on which it is located.
Fatmawati married Sukarno in 1943 at the age of 19 and
initially occupied the presidential palace as Indonesia's first-
ever first lady. She later decided to leave the palace when
Sukarno took Hartini as his new wife.
Sukarno and Fatmawati met in 1938, in Bengkulu, Sumatra, where
the young, outspoken politician was exiled by the Dutch colonial
administration.
He was married to Inggit Ganarsih at the time. They had been
married 18 years with no children. Fatmawati agreed to marry
Sukarno on the condition that he divorced Inggit.
Fatmawati had five children, including Megawati Soekarnoputri,
now the chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI),
Guruh, a legislator from PDI and a successful choreographer, and
Rachmawati.
Great role
Guruh earlier told a local newspaper that his mother played a
great role as Sukarno's wife during the latter's difficult period
as president.
"Ibu (mother) Fatmawati's sewing the flag proved that she
cared about the struggle for independence," he said.
He said that it was up to the government to decide when the
award would be presented.
The government has its own criteria and regulations to make
the decision, he added.
When asked about his personal view on the presentation of the
award, Guruh said that it gave him special pride as the son of a
heroine. (par)