Indonesia Names Suharto National Hero, Sparking Protests Over Legacy

Jakarta – Indonesia has officially named former President Suharto a national hero, a move that has reignited debates over his complex legacy. The announcement, made during a ceremony at the state palace presided over by current President Prabowo Subianto, Suharto's former son-in-law, comes decades after the late dictator left office and decades after the controversial events of his regime.

Suharto, who ruled Indonesia from the mid-1960s until 1998, oversaw rapid economic growth that transformed the nation into Southeast Asia’s largest economy. Annual growth averaged around 7%, and inflation dropped from more than 600% in 1966 to roughly 10%. He earned the title Bapak Pembangunan, or “father of development,” for his focus on infrastructure, stability, and modernization.

However, his tenure was also marked by widespread human rights abuses. The 1965–66 anti-communist purge resulted in the deaths of at least half a million suspected communists. His three-decade rule included torture, enforced disappearances, political repression, and a brutal invasion of East Timor. Allegations of massive corruption and embezzlement also shadowed his administration.

The award of national hero status has drawn immediate backlash. Around 100 protesters gathered in Jakarta, while nearly 16,000 have signed online petitions opposing the move. Amnesty Indonesia criticized the decision, calling it an attempt to "whitewash the sins of Suharto's authoritarian regime" and a distortion of history. Additional demonstrations were planned, prompting the deployment of hundreds of security personnel.

Suharto’s supporters, however, emphasize his role in stabilizing and developing Indonesia. They argue that, despite the authoritarian nature of his rule, his economic policies laid the foundation for Indonesia’s current prosperity. Suharto’s children received the award on his behalf during the ceremony.

The decision has been further complicated by the involvement of President Prabowo Subianto, who has publicly praised Suharto’s regime and faced his own accusations of rights abuses during Suharto’s era. Critics argue that awarding Suharto’s legacy risks revising or downplaying historical atrocities, particularly as the government has begun publishing new history textbooks that critics say minimize the violence of the New Order era.

Alongside Suharto, other national hero titles were conferred on former President Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), known for his opposition to Suharto, and labour activist Marsinah, who was abducted and killed in 1993. These inclusions may be seen as a conciliatory gesture to balance recognition of Indonesia’s democratic and human rights advocates.

The conferral of Suharto’s national hero status underscores the persistent tension in Indonesia between acknowledging his economic achievements and confronting the human cost of his authoritarian rule.