Yogya sultan to get royal title

Kasparman, The Jakarta Post, Padang

West Sumatra's Pagaruyung Palace will bestow a royal title on Yogyakarta's Sultan Hamengku Buwono X and his wife Kanjeng Gusti Ratu Hemas in Padang on April 29, 2002.

The Sosongko award means that the sultan, who also serves as the Yogyakarta governor, will receive the royal title Yang Dipertuan Maharajo Alam Sakti and his wife as Puan Gadih Puti Reno Indaswari from the Pagaruyung Palace' heir Sutan Muhamad Taufik Thaib.

Speaking to journalists on Monday in Padang, the West Sumatra capital, Taufik said the endowment was decided recently by the Minangkabau highest consultative meeting attended by palace elders.

He said the award was aimed at "reactualizing" the respect for the Pagaruyung's first sultan, Adityawarman, who was of Javanese descent.

"The bloodline of Pagaruyung and Javanese rulers was connected by Raden Wijaya who was the first king of Java's Majapahit kingdom," Taufik added.

He further said the title was also bestowed to retrace the Pamalayu expedition that occurred in 1275, when King Kartanegara sent troops and diplomats to Malay territory to establish a friendship.

At the time, two Minangkabau princesses, Dara Petak and Dara Jingga joined the expedition and were both married by Raden Wijaya.

The sultan will be the third figure to receive a similar award from the Pagaruyung heirs.

West Sumatra's Minangkabau communal organization (LKAAM) leader Kamardi Rais Simulie said the award for the sultan was first proposed by Minang students and people living in Yogyakarta.

The Minang community members, who officially submitted the proposal to his group on Aug. 12 last year, argued that the royal award would be fitting as they felt they were "protected and respected" since they lived in Yogyakarta, he said.

Kamardi said LKAAM leaders met on Aug. 15 to Aug. 18, 2001 and decided to accept the proposal.

As his organization had no specific title for the Yogyakarta governor, it later asked the Pagaruyung heirs to bestow him and his wife with a royal title, he added.

Kamardi said the Minang people can award an honorary title only to someone who deserved to it. "It is the title of Datuk that cannot be given to others (outsiders)."

The Malay Datuk title is a hereditary one, which only those from the same tribe or group are entitled to, he added.