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)