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As the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction in the House of Representatives on Monday formalized its proposal to officially bestow title of national hero to Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid, the family of the late former president said it may be an unnecessary gesture.

In a 12-page letter to House Speaker Marzuki Alie, the PKB faction outlined Wahid’s contribution to the country and the world for promoting democracy, human rights, pluralism and the protection of minorities, which they said earned him the right to be named a national hero.

“Public demand has been widespread in almost all social levels and Abdurrahman Wahid fulfills the requirement to be named a national hero,” PKB faction chairman Marwan Ja’far said after attending a plenary session in the House.

Marwan also delivered a similar letter to Social Affairs Minister Salim Segaf Al Jufri.

Marwan added that the party would also encourage the international community to nominate Wahid for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The honor has never been bestowed posthumously.

But Wahid’s wife, Shinta Nuriyah, said that while the family appreciated the public’s calls for Indonesia’s fourth president to be named a national hero, her husband had never asked to be recognized as such. “It is the people who elected him as an important figure and as a hero,” Shinta said during an interview on Metro TV with her youngest daughter, Inayah Wulandari.

“[Wahid] believed all people are equal. He never cared about a person’s background, job or beliefs. He saw a person merely as a human being,” Shinta added.

Inayah said the family believed Wahid’s designation as a hero by the government would merely be an official step and wouldn’t change public sentiment. She added that in his lifetime, Wahid had done many things that had earned him admiration from the public.

“[Wahid] created many pro-people policies. His policies opened doors for minority groups, improved freedom of speech, dialogue and the anti-violence movement. He was egalitarian and he had started doing all of that long before he became a president,” Inayah said.

“Whether or not there is an official title, my father has always been a hero in many people’s hearts and that’s all that matters,” she added.

During his life, Wahid had received at least 10 honorary titles from universities across the world.

He also received several national and international awards, including “Bapak Tionghoa,” or “Father of Chinese-Indonesians,” for his efforts to erase discrimination against Indonesians of Chinese ethnicity, a Ramon Magsaysay Award for his community leadership, a Tasrif Award from the Alliance of Independent Journalists for promoting press freedom and a Mebal Valor Award for protecting minority communities and the Confucianist religion in Indonesia.

The Golkar Party on Sunday called for the national hero honor to also be bestowed on its founder and former dictator Suharto.

Asked whether Gus Dur would receive the award on National Heroes’ Day on Nov. 10 this year, Julian said it was a possibility. “Normally such awards are given on holidays, but not always.”



JG, Antara