Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – The Indonesian public is protesting the granting of the national hero title to former president Soeharto. Civil society from various backgrounds believe that President Prabowo Subianto should not have bestowed the title upon his former father-in-law, who had a dark record during his 32 years in power.
The criticism from the public had begun even before Soeharto was awarded the national hero title. Activists and academics had rejected the idea since Soeharto's name was proposed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Honors and Awards Council.
Now, after the former president officially bears the national hero title, more and more people are rejecting it. Criticisms continue to pour in. Tempo has gathered some of them:
Amnesty International Indonesia
Amnesty International Indonesia urges the government to revoke the national hero title for former President Soeharto. Amnesty believes that Soeharto is not deserving of the title.
Executive Director of Amnesty Indonesia Usman Hamid considers Soeharto as the most influential figure in state violence during the New Order era. According to Usman, the Soeharto regime played a part in cases of human rights violations, including the 1965-1966 mass killings and the mysterious shootings from 1982-1985, as well as other cases.
Usman Hamid believes that the government seems to ignore Soeharto's dark track record. "To this day, not one main perpetrator, including Soeharto, has been held accountable," he stated in a written release on Monday, November 10, 2025.
Usman emphasized that the state should investigate human rights violation cases during the New Order era. "Reject all forms of historical manipulation and the glorification of human rights violators, whether through cultural policies, education, or the official state narrative," he stated.
Usman criticized several officials who justified the bestowal of the national hero title to former President Soeharto by claiming that everyone makes mistakes. Amnesty believes that Soeharto's dark track record during his presidency is not just a mistake but serious crimes that cannot be whitewashed legally," said Usman.
Indonesia Corruption Watch
Head of Advocacy Division of Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) Egi Primayogha stated that awarding the national hero title to Soeharto symbolizes the death of reform. The reform has an agenda to hold Soeharto and his cronies accountable, eradicate corruption, collusion, and nepotism.
"However, the reform agenda has proven to fail. Soeharto should not be entitled to the national hero title," he stated in an official release on Monday, November 10, 2025.
Egi mentioned that Soeharto has never been tried for alleged crimes. The law enforcement of corruption crimes committed by Soeharto and his cronies has never been completed.
According to him, systemic corruption inherited from Soeharto in Indonesia has never disappeared. Many business and political actors in Indonesia are still connected to the New Order.
Public Virtue Research Institute
The Public Virtue Research Institute (PVRI) refers to the bestowal of the title by President Prabowo to his former father-in-law as the biggest scandal of the 1998 Reform era.
Executive Director of PVRI Muhammad Naziful Haq stated that the decision ignores the rejection from civil society, including the victims of human rights violations during the Soeharto era. "The decision to grant the hero title to Soeharto is more like a historical whitewashing," said Naziful in a written release on Monday, November 10, 2025.
According to Naziful, officials who granted Soeharto the title only considered administrative suitability. He called the decision illogical. Naziful stated that administrative suitability is meaningless when compared to the human rights violation and corruption cases during Soeharto's rule.
Academics and politicians
Several politicians and academics have questioned the bestowal of the national hero title to former President Soeharto. They believe that President Prabowo Subianto's decision to bestow the title upon his former father-in-law is questionable.
The stance of the politicians and academics has been circulated through WhatsApp. "In the name of historical justice and the moral integrity of the nation, we question the state's decision to proclaim Soeharto as a National Hero," wrote Partai Demokrat politician Andi Arief, along with several others, in the statement released on Monday, November 10, 2025.
Andi mentioned that the signatories do not deny anyone's contributions to Indonesia, including Soeharto. However, he stated that heroism is a far greater title than simply appreciating someone's contributions.
Soeharto has a notorious record during his 32 years in power, including human rights violations and corruption that occurred under his watch.
The statement included the names of several academics and politicians. Besides Andi Arief, there were names of fellow Democrat politicians Rachland Nashidik, and former Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights and law academic Denny Indrayana. The list also included the names of academics Robertus Robet and Bivitri Susanti.
Soeharto family's response
Soeharto's eldest daughter, Siti Hardijanti Rukmana, also known as Tutut Soeharto, responded to the various accusations from civil society against her father. President Prabowo Subianto has officially proclaimed Soeharto as a national hero today.
Tutut stated that the Soeharto family doesn't need to defend itself against the accusations. She claimed that people are getting smarter in recognizing Soeharto's contributions.
"I believe the people are getting smarter too. So, they can see what Soeharto did and can make their own judgment. We don't need to defend ourselves or anything," she said after the National Hero Title Bestowal Ceremony at the State Palace, Central Jakarta, on Monday, November 10, 2025.
– Hendrik Yaputra and Dede Leni Mardianti contributed to this article.