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Prabowo moots Suharto national hero idea to base: Report

Jakarta Globe - June 5, 2014

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Jakarta – Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto promised on Tuesday to elevate late Indonesian dictator Suharto to national hero status if he were elected in July, Indonesian media reported.

Prabowo made the statement during a speech at the Children of Military and Police Retirees Forum (FKPPI) on Tuesday, June 3, according to Tempo.co.

"He said it himself in front of the forum," FKPPI chief Bahriun Sucipto told Tempo.co on Wednesday. He said – "If I'm chosen to be a president, I will make Suharto a national hero".

The FKPPI supports Prabowo's candidacy and the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party candidate was there to give the keynote speech at its annual meeting, which was also attended by FKPPI chairman Pontjo Sutowo, former Indonesian Military commander Djoko Santoso, and Suharto's daughter, Titiek Suharto.

Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) deputy chairman Fadli Zon denied knowledge of the idea. "There hasn't been any discussion on that even though personally I support the idea," Fadli said to Merdeka.com on Wednesday.

There was not, however, unanimous support for elevating a strongman documented to have presided over one of the most corrupt regimes the modern world has ever seen.

"If Suharto is a hero, then who is the villain here?" Adian Napitupuli, an activist during the 1998 transformation, said on Wednesday. "It's us," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/prabowo-moots-suharto-national-hero-idea-base-report/.