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Jokowi honors former Cabinet members, fallen medical workers
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has awarded dozens of former Cabinet members and fallen medical workers with civilian honors, including an outspoken critic of the President.
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Then-Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo speaks during a discussion held at the House of Representatives building in Central Jakarta on Sept. 27, 2017. (Antara/Wahyu Putro A)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has awarded dozens of former Cabinet members and fallen medical workers with civilian honors in recognition of their professional accomplishments.
Thirty-two former and current top officials received the Bintang Mahaputra Adipradana medal, one of the second-highest civilian honor. They include former coordinating human development and culture minister Puan Maharani; Luhut Pandjaitan, who holds the post of coordinating maritime affairs and investment minister for a second time now; and former National Police chief Tito Karnavian. Puan, a ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician, is currently the House of Representatives speaker, while Tito serves as home minister.
Twenty-three doctors and nurses who lost their lives in the fight against COVID-19, meanwhile, were awarded with various classes of Bintang Jasa medals, the third-highest civilian honor.
Former Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gatot Nurmantyo, one notable Jokowi critic in the recipients list full of former ministers and those close to Jokowi's circle, did not attend the award ceremony at the State Palace on Wednesday.
Read also: Jokowi to name six historical figures as national heroes
Conflicting information from the Palace about Gatot’s absence led to speculations that he had rejected the Bintang Mahaputra Adipradana medal. But the government was quick to clarify it, with Law and Human Rights Minister Mahfud MD saying that Gatot had notified the Palace about his absence from the award ceremony and that the medal would be sent to Gatot’s address instead.
“In his letter, Gatot said that he accepted the Bintang Mahaputra award but could not personally attend the ceremony for several reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mahfud told reporters on Wednesday.
