Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana Proposed as National Hero

The Ministry of Social Affairs is committed to overseeing the process of proposing the National Hero title for the cultural thinker and non-military literary figure, Sutan Takdisjahbana (STA).

Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf stated that the proposal from Universitas Nasional (UNAS) is currently being processed and will be forwarded to the relevant agencies for further study. “It is currently being processed, with many figures in attendance. The process will be continued. We will oversee it until it reaches the Title Council of the Ministry of Culture, led by Mr Fadli Zon,” he said following a national seminar on the STA Hero Title Proposal at the Universitas Nasional Campus Hall, Jakarta.

Gus Ipul, as Saifullah Yusuf is commonly known, admitted he could not yet provide detailed data as the ministry has not yet held a special plenary meeting regarding the total number of hero title proposals received by the ministry this year. Nevertheless, he ensured that the name of Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana has been included as one of the priority proposals ready for the Ministry of Social Affairs to process through the established mechanism.

The Ministry of Social Affairs welcomes this proposal, viewing it as an opportunity to honour national figures who may not have previously received collective attention. He revealed that President Prabowo Subianto has opened wide opportunities for the public to propose hero titles for inspiring figures who fought behind the scenes.

“The essence of STA’s heroism is immense because, although he did not participate in physical combat on the battlefield, the late statesman played a significant role in pioneering the world of education and promoting the standardisation of modern Indonesian,” said Saifullah.

Saifullah, an alumnus of the 1985 UNAS class, personally recalled the relevance of STA’s thoughts during his tenure as Rector of UNAS, where he always instilled a climate of freedom of opinion and democratic expression among students. Under STA’s leadership during that period, the campus grew into a fertile centre for discussion for student activist movements from various universities.

“I hope that through the existing process, Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana can become one of the national heroes established by President Prabowo,” he added.