JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Monday morning, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono awarded heroic titles to 12 national figures in a state ceremony at the State Palace, Jakarta. The heroic titles were given as the form of appreciation for the merits and struggle of those figures in each of their field.
The awarding of such honors of course is a concrete form the government's concern for those who contributed to the country. Unfortunately, such honors usually seem late.
"Ideally, such heroic honors should've been awarded to them since long time ago. This is due to the mechanism of honor awarding that depends on the people's suggestions. The government should be pro-active," said the Historian Anhar Gonggong to Kompas, Monday.
The tardiness, according to Anhar, happens again today. Four figures whom he thought should've been made heroes long ago were, the late Rear Admiral Yahya
Daniel Dharma of the Indonesial National Army (TNI), Professor Herman Yohanes, and the Mendur family, Frans and Alex Mendur.
Yahya Daniel Dharma or also known as John Lee was the officer who dared to penetrate the Dutch and British naval defenses to procure weapons during the revolution. While, Herman Yohanes assembled the bomb to assist the revolution, including other facilities such as mini-electric-generators during the '1-March public attack' in Yogyakarta.
And, Frans Mendur and Alex Mendur were the photographers during the independence declaration by President Soekarno on Pegangsaan. Though only taking pictures, these two brothers gained considerable merits.
Because of their endeavor to bury the photo negatives near a tree at the yard of the Asia Raya daily, thus we can witness the history of our nation. Even at that time, because of the pictures, news of Indonesia independence could be broadcast through the Indonesien Pers Photo Serice (Ippos), and was spread through the world.
Regarding that, Anhar encourages a change in the rules to honor someone as a hero. Aside from public suggestion, it's important to consider a pro-active attitude from the government itself, to care for the children of the nation who have contributed.
The other eight figures honored as heroes today are:
1. Ahmad Subarjo, an activist figure who was also the Indonesian delegate to attend the anti-imperialism congress in Belgium, 1927.
2. KH Ahmad Sanusi, son of a Kyai (Moslem priest) who struggled for the movement to prepare Indonesia's independence, he was recorded as a member of the Central Indonesian National Committee and was active in the negotiations and signing of the Renville tract.
3. Sutan Muhamad Yamin or Kroeng Raba Nasution, who was Governor of North Sumatera and active in repelling the Japanese army.
4. Sultan Muhammad Salahudin, honored for his role as an active fighter in the national movement.
5. Sri Suhunan Pakubuwono X, honored for his role of resisting the Dutch government, he was active in the Indonesian national movement and encouraged the Javanese community to enter an era of modernisation
6. Herudi Kartowisastro, ex-head of the National Standardization Agency and Head of Science and Technology Research of TMII (Taman Mini Indonesia - Indonesian Miniature Park)
7. Usmar Ismail, honored for his role as an artist, poet, playwright and journalist
8. Sapto Hudoyo, honored for his role as an artist and cultural observer
(HAR/C17-09)
