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The week in review: Accidental heroes?
Last Friday, Indonesia officially added three names to its pantheon of national heroes, bringing the total to 159, of which 33 are from the military and police
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ast Friday, Indonesia officially added three names to its pantheon of national heroes, bringing the total to 159, of which 33 are from the military and police. During a solemn ceremony at the State Palace, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced that Radjiman Wediodiningrat, Lambertus Nicodemus Palar and Tahi Bonar (TB) Simatupang would be inducted into the state's list of heroes. Their heirs are entitled to a monthly allowance of Rp 1.5 million (US$130), an annual health fund of Rp 3 million, a right for limited home restoration and coverage for maintenance of the heroes' graves.
Friday's ceremony was part of the nationwide celebration to commemorate Heroes Day, which falls on every Nov. 10, when 68 years ago thousands of freedom fighters were killed and wounded in the Battle of Surabaya against the British-led Allied Forces. The Allied Forces attacked Surabaya wanting to severely punish the city following the murder of their commander in East Java, Brig. Gen. A.W.S. Mallaby, several days earlier.
On Heroes Day, a one-minute silence is observed at 8:15 a.m. throughout the country. Drivers on the road during that time should prepare to be stopped by police.
Jakartans should already be familiar with the name of TB Simatupang because a toll road in the city is named after him. He served as chief of staff to the legendary Gen. Sudirman, Indonesia's first armed forces chief, during the war that ensued after Sukarno and Hatta declared Indonesia's independence on Aug. 17, 1945.
Radjiman was the head of the Preparatory Body for Indonesian Independence (BPUPKI) in 1945, and Palar was a seasoned diplomat. He successfully convinced the United Nations Security Council to force the Dutch to agree to a cease-fire with Indonesia.
Simatupang's son expressed his pride in the actions of his father. 'For us, his spirit to overcome problems and his struggle for his nation are the things that we look up to.'
On Friday, Antara news agency quoted historian Bonnie Triyana as suggesting that the government issue a moratorium on naming new national heroes. He said the status would be much more productive and meaningful if the government first publicized in-depth research on the national heroes and their exploits so people could better understand why they mattered to the nation. Bonnie added that the government should refrain from investing too much weight in mere ceremonial activities.
'Dutch historian Gerry van Klinken wrote that Indonesia has the largest number of heroes in the world, because new heroes continue to be produced every year,' Bonnie said.
The historian also noted that naming new national heroes also often sparked controversy. 'Like the awarding of the national hero title to Ida Anak Agung Gde Agung in 2007,' he said, referring to the objections that had been raised by some groups over claims that he was pro-Dutch during the Round Table Conference in The Hague in 1949.
In the film Nagabonar Jadi Dua (Nagabonar Becomes Two) there's a scene in which the protagonist Nagabonar, a pickpocket who promoted himself to the rank of general during the independence struggle in North Sumatra, visits the Kalibata National Heroes Cemetery in South Jakarta accompanied by a bajaj driver who proudly tells him about the heroes.
'Are you sure that all the people buried here are heroes?' Nagabonar shocks the driver by asking.
Independence fighters, military generals and Cabinet members may deserve to be buried at heroes cemeteries, from the national to municipal level. But does that mean they are heroes?
Similarly, the 1992 Hollywood film Hero (Accidental Hero) is another funny take on the veracity of heroism. In it, Dustin Hoffman plays petty criminal Bernie La Plante, who rescues the survivors of a plane crash, but sees the credit for the deed stolen by a homeless war veteran. It is very likely that some of those buried at the Kalibata cemetery are accidental or even dare I say fradulent heroes.
In its Friday edition, The Jakarta Post displayed the alleged recipients of dirty money from the Hambalang sports complex project in West Java. The government had boasted the sports center would help create new Indonesian atheletic heroes. The then minister of youth and sports Andi Alfian Mallarangeng proudly announced the noble ambition that with the complex Indonesia could produce Olympic gold medalists. But what happened then? Andi and his colleagues (allegedly) sunk their teeth into the state funds allocated for the project.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has implicated at least 10 people in the mega-graft scandal. Anas Urbaningrum, former chairman of Yudhoyono's Democratic Party (PD) received Rp 2.2 billion (US$193,000) in kickbacks. Andi meanwhile got Rp 4 billion and $550,000 and former National Land Agency (BPN) head Joyo Winoto put Rp 3 billion into his own pocket. Several other government officials, legislators and political elites will have to face the KPK for their role in plundering state money.
Andi expresses complete confidence that he is innocent. Anas, who lost his party chairmanship after the KPK named him a suspect in the case along with Andi, has insisted he is just a victim. Anas indicated that the KPK also needs to investigate more people. There are speculations that Yudhoyono's son Edhie 'Ibas' Baskoro has some knowledge about the corruption case.
In the wake of Heroes Day, this thought must give us pause. Will the country's elite, unknown crooks someday lie in a hero's grave?
' Kornelius Purba
