Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Indonesian Culture Minister Fadli Zon claimed that various allegations of corruption and human rights violations involving former president Soeharto were never proven. According to him, Soeharto, now designated a national hero, never did those things.
"As you said, it's just an allegation. Yes, those allegations were never proven," he said at the Presidential Palace Complex, Central Jakarta, on Monday, November 10, 2025. "(Did he not commit corruption and human rights violations?) There weren't any. No, there weren't any."
He stated that various cases allegedly involving Soeharto had gone through legal processes. He said that the legal process was completed and not related to Soeharto. "For example, what was he accused of? Everything has legal processes, and those legal processes have been completed and are not related to President Soeharto," he said.
Regarding the May 1998 riots, Fadli said that Soeharto had no connection to the events. He also determined that conferring the title on Soeharto was not an issue, as the process had already been completed. There are also no legal issues regarding Soeharto's designation.
"As mentioned earlier, it has gone through a process. There are no legal issues, no other issues," he said.
President Prabowo Subianto officially awarded former president Soeharto the title of national hero at the National Palace in Central Jakarta on Monday, November 10, 2025.
Soeharto was among the ten individuals honored with the title of National Hero. The Military Secretary announced the designation. Military Secretary Wahyu Yudhayana stated that the conferral of the title to the ten individuals, including Soeharto, was in line with Presidential Decree of the Republic of Indonesia (Keppres) Number 116/TK/Year 2025 concerning the Conferral of the National Hero Title.
Head of the Advocacy Division of Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) Egi Primayogha said that the conferral of the National Hero title to former president Soeharto is a symbol of the death of reformation. The Reformation aimed to prosecute Soeharto and his cronies and eradicate corruption, collusion, and nepotism.
"However, the reformation agenda has clearly failed. Soeharto should not deserve to receive the National Hero title," he said in an official statement on Monday, November 10, 2025.
Egi said Soeharto was never prosecuted for the alleged crimes committed. The law enforcement regarding the corruption crimes committed by Soeharto and his cronies was never concluded.
Soeharto's eldest daughter, Siti Hardijanti Rukmana or Tutut Soeharto, said that Soeharto's family does not need to defend against the accusations. She claimed that the public has become smarter in assessing Soeharto's contributions.
"I think the public has become smarter. They can see what Soeharto did, and can assess it themselves. We don't need to defend ourselves or anything," she said after the Conferral Ceremony of the National Hero Title at the National Palace, Central Jakarta, on Monday, November 10, 2025.
State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi said the conferral of the National Hero title honors past leaders. They had extraordinary services to the nation and state. "This is how we honor our predecessors, especially the leaders, who undoubtedly had extraordinary services to the nation and state," he said.