More than two years after their last meeting in 2010, chair of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Megawati Soekarnoputri made a conciliatory gesture toward President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono by turning up at the State Palace to receive the National Hero title
bestowed on her father, Sukarno.

Megawati, present in body if not mind, gave Yudhoyono the cold shoulder and appeared distant and aloof as the President acknowledged her presence.

While Yudhoyono gave his speech, praising what Sukarno had done for the country, Megawati only occasionally set her sights on the President, who stood directly in front of her, but was otherwise looked around the room distractedly.

She also declined to applaud when Yudhoyono wrapped up his speech, while everyone in the room including Speaker Marzuki Alie and Vice President Boediono were more than enthusiastic.

When Yudhoyono and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono moved around the room to congratulate the families of Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta, Yudhoyono and First Lady Ani hugged and kissed the cheek of Megawati’s older brother, Guntur Soekarnoputra, and Hatta’s first daughter, Meutia, but then hestitated when approaching Megawati.

Yudhoyono and Megawati ended up only shaking each other’s hand and giving each other awkward, simpering smiles.

It was the first time the two national figures, who twice competed in for the presidency, had been seen together in public since 2010 when Megawati attended a state dinner to honor US President Barack Obama.

Yudhoyono’s bitter rivalry with Megawati started when the former decided to run for the presidency in 2004 using the newly founded Democratic Party as his political support. Previously, Yudhoyono was one of Megawati’s most trusted aides and was even coordinating political, legal and security affairs minister in her cabinet.

When Yudhoyono decided to compete with her head-to-head, their relationship turned sour. The rivalry also turned personal, with Megawati’s husband Taufiq Kiemas once calling Yudhoyono a general who acted like a “child”.

With Golkar’s Jusuf Kalla as his running mate, Yudhoyono defeated the pair of Megawati and Hasyim Muzadi in 2004.

The rivalry continued and in 2009, Yudhoyono again emerged the winner, this time with Boediono as running mate, defeating Megawati and Prabowo of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra); and Kalla and Wiranto of the People’s Conscience Party (Hanura).

Yudhoyono has given long-overdue recognition to Sukarno and Hatta with the title of National Heroes. In his speech during the ceremony, he called on the nation to revisit the legacy of Sukarno and recast him in a new light.

“Let us leave behind all the stigma and negative, unnecessary views of them,” Yudhoyono said, quoted by Antara news wire.

Yudhoyono said that the sacrifice the two figures had made for the country far exceeded their flaws as human beings.

Responding to the award, Megawati said the two deserved the title more than anybody else. “It should have been given long time ago,” she said.

Political analyst Arie Sujito said the Megawati-Yudhoyono reunion was a rare moment when politicians came together for a noble cause. “The recognition for Sukarno has been long overdue because of manipulation by the New Order regime. While we suspect political motives behind the title, I see as Yudhoyono projecting his status as a statesman.”

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