PRIME NEWS POST
On the occasion of Heroes Day, the Indonesian Student Alliance, along with Halaqoh BEM Pesantren Se-Indonesia, BEM PTNU (Nahdlatul Ulama University Student Association), and BEM KSI (Indonesian Christian Student Association), held a National Public Discussion titled “The Exemplary Leadership and Pioneering of Soeharto as the Father of Development: A Figure Worthy of Being a National Hero” at the Trisula Perwari Building, Central Jakarta. The event, which took place on Monday (11/10/2025), was attended by hundreds of students from various universities and interfaith organizations who then expressed their open support for President Soeharto to be awarded the title of National Hero through the signing of a national petition.
The discussion was moderated by Gangga Listiawan, National Treasurer of BEM PTNU, and featured three speakers from different student organizations. The first speaker, Charles Gilbert, Coordinator of BEM KSI, discussed the topic “Soeharto and the Legacy of National Development: Foundations for a Advanced Indonesia.” He argued that Soeharto successfully built a strong foundation for the nation’s progress. “Soeharto was the architect of national stability. He organized the economy, strengthened national resilience, and built large infrastructure that still benefits us today. Giving him the title of National Hero is a form of historical justice,” said Charles.
The second speaker, Achmad Baha’ur Rifqi, President of BEM PTNU, presented on the topic “Independence and National Stability: Reasons Soeharto Deserves to be a Development Hero.” He believed that Indonesia’s success in achieving food self-sufficiency, controlling inflation, and distributing development evenly was a result of Soeharto’s leadership. “Heroes don’t always fight with guns. Soeharto fought to build the nation from food security to industrial independence. He made Indonesia economically independent,” said Rifqi.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Samsul Munir, President of Halaqoh BEM Pesantren Se-Indonesia, provided a pesantren perspective on the topic “Soeharto’s Exemplary Leadership in Building the Nation: From Village Development to National Resilience.” “Soeharto built from the villages. The Presidential Instruction for Underdeveloped Villages, school construction, and economic improvement programs are concrete evidence of his commitment to the grassroots. A figure like him deserves to be remembered as a hero of Indonesia’s development,” explained Munir.
After the discussion and Q&A session, the event continued with the signing of the national petition by representatives of students from various universities. The petition was the highlight of the event and a symbol of moral support from students for the government to consider awarding the title of National Hero to Soeharto.
In his statement, Charles Gilbert emphasized that this step was not just a historical romance but a reflection of Soeharto’s significant contributions to building the nation’s foundation. “We are not closing our eyes to the dark side of history, but we are also not closing our eyes to Soeharto’s great services. It’s time for this nation to judge objectively and place him as a National Hero,” concluded Charles.
The event, which lasted from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM WIB, concluded with a joint prayer and a declaration of support. The participants referred to the petition as a form of moral awareness among the younger generation to respect the services of the Father of Indonesian Development (Soeharto).
