TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A member of the Legal Committee of the House of Representatives (DPR) from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), Masinton Pasaribu, has firmly said that PDIP will fight to reject Golkar Party's suggestion to named controversial former President Soeharto as a national hero.
"Our parties share so many similarities - but in relation to the suggestion of naming Soeharto as a national hero, we have our own, differing perspective," said Masinton in Jakarta on Saturday, May 21, 2016.
According to Masinton, based on the mandate of reformation, Soeharto should have been forced to face trial before the court for the numerous violations that occurred during his Presidency. "The violations that occurred during the the 32-years New Order regime reign, Soeharto should have been prosecuted - not named as a national hero," he said.
The suggestion to name Soeharto as a national hero was proposed by former Golkar chairman Aburizal Bakrie at the Golkar Party's Extraordinary National Assembly in Bali on Monday, May 16, 2016. According to Bakrie, Soeharto should be named as a national hero for his contribution to the development of the nation. "We have proposed this before, to no avail. This time, once again Golkar wishes to once again propose Soeharto's name as a candidate for national hero," he said.
The recently elected Chairman of the Golkar Party, Setya Novanto, concurs and said that that Golkar will continue to strive to get Soeharto's name listed as a national hero. "Whomever the President, they deserve to receive the honour they deserve," he said.
ARIEF HIDAYAT
