Candra Malik, Karanganyar – A series of events to mark the 1,000th day since the death of former President Suharto reached its climax on Friday amid a growing debate on whether to name him a national hero.

Friday's pomp and circumstance surrounded the placing of new 70-kilogram marble slabs over the tombs of the former strongman and his wife, Siti "Tien" Hartinah, by their six children at the family's Astana Giribangun mausoleum in Karanganyar, Central Java.

Also in attendance was Karanganyar district chief Rina Iriani, who earlier in the week backed a call to confer national hero status on the former president.

An estimated 10,000 people came from across the country for the event, according to Agus Kiswadi, chairman of the Suharto Family Foundation.

The slabs were laid by the three sons – Bambang Trihatmojo, Sigit Hardjojudanto and Hutomo Mandala Putra, popularly known as Tommy. The three daughters – Siti Hardiyanti Hastuti, also known as Tutut, Siti Hediyati Hariyadi and Siti Hutami Endang Adiningsih, also known as Mamiek – later placed jasmine wreaths on the slabs.

The prayer for the day was led by renowned cleric Quraish Shihab, who previously served as religious affairs minister in Suharto's cabinet and later as ambassador to Egypt.

The night before, the family held coordinated prayers in five places across the country. They included Astana Giribangun and Jaten Museum, which marks Tien's birthplace, in Karanganyar; Ndalem Kalitan, the family residence, in Solo; At-Tien Mosque at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in Jakarta, which was commissioned by Tien; and the home of Suharto's younger brother Notosuwito in Bantul, Yogyakarta.

Following Friday's event, Tutut thanked all those in attendance for taking part in the commemoration events. "Every day people flock here to pray for Pak Harto and Bu Tien," she said. "It shows that they love our parents."

She added the family did not want to get involved in the debate about whether their father deserved official recognition as a national hero, saying the decision should rest with the government and nobody else.

Mamiek, meanwhile, said the controversy had not bothered the family much. "For us, he was a hero," she said. "Whether the government chooses to name him a national hero or not, it won't change the family's view of him as a hero."

She added it was members of the public who had nominated Suharto to the Home Affairs Ministry for the honor, and not the family.