Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf, after handing over the proposal to Culture Minister and Chairperson of the Titles, Decorations and Honours Council Fadli Zon on Tuesday, explained that the proposal includes names that have been discussed for several years.
“Some names have been qualified for five or six years, while others have just been decided this year. Among the proposed names are former presidents Soeharto and Abdurrahman Wahid, and Marsinah,” the minister stated.
Yusuf explained that the proposed names were initially reviewed by a dedicated regional team. Their reports, signed by the district head or mayor, are then forwarded to the provincial governor before being submitted to the Social Affairs Ministry for further assessment.
“The research report has been handed over by me to Mr. Fadli Zon as the honours council chairperson today. The council will deliberate the report, and we will wait for the results,” he said.
The minister revealed that other figures proposed for the National Hero title this year include Nahdlatul Ulama’s supreme leader Bisri Syansuri, along with two prominent Muslim clerics from East Java, Syaikhona Muhammad Kholil and Muhammad Yusuf Hasyim.
Former Jakarta governor General (Ret.) Ali Sadikin and General (Ret.) M. Jusuf from South Sulawesi were also among the nominees.
Meanwhile, Culture Minister Fadli Zon said that after receiving the assessment report from the Social Affairs Ministry, his side will hold meetings to determine the figures that will be named National Heroes this year.
“We will hold a meeting with the honours council team tomorrow. After that, we will inform our decision to the President,” Zon remarked.
The ceremony to confer the title of Indonesian National Hero is traditionally held on November 10, coinciding with Indonesia’s Heroes Day.
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Translator: Riezko Bima Elko, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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