JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – The government will declare the late President Abdurrahman Wahid, popularly known as Gus Dur, as a national hero in the near future.
Minister of Social Affairs Khofifah Indar Parawansa, who is also politician from the National Awakening Party (PKB), said it’s just a matter of time before President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo making the announcement. President Jokowi, according to Khofifah, remain thinking about the right time of announcing Gus Dur as national hero.
Khofifah, moreover, explains that the Title, Order of Merit and Honors Council had completed its review process of recommending Gus Dur as national hero. The Council, Khofifah said, had submitted its recommendation to President Jokowi and the President has approved said recommendation last Thursday (Nov. 5).
Gus Dur served as the fourth President of the Republic during the period of October 20, 1999 – July 23, 2001. He is known for his influential beliefs, especially on pluralism, as well as a defender for the rights of the minority groups. He was a chairman of Indonesia’s largest Islamic organization, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).
He passed away on December 30, 2009, at the age of 69. (haryantosuharman@yosefardi.com)