JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – A part of Indonesians, including legislator candidates for the April’s Legislative Election, have Monday (Jan 27) commemorated the death of Soeharto, former president of Indonesia, in various ways.
Soeharto, called as a dictator for his 32 years-regime, passed away in January 27, 2008, six years ago. He stepped down as president on May 21, 1998. Some Indonesian people mention Soeharto as a hero for the country.
For small-medium garment entrepreneurs, it is a good business opportunity. They produced t-shirts with Soeharto’s picture and some interesting phrases like “Piye kabare? Isih kepenak zamanku toh?” or “How are you? Isn’t it still happier during my days right?”, “Tak tinggal kok malah rekoso?” or “Why are you so overwhelmed when I leaved behind?”.
Those Soeharto’s t-shirts are easily found in garment vendors, for example at Blok M Square in Jakarta and at the Astana Giri Bangun cemetery in Surakarta, where Soeharto was buried. Those t-shirts have been reportedly ssold at a price of Rp35,000 and Rp40,000 per piece.
Some legislator candidates, meanwhile, visited Soeharto’s grave at the Astana Giri Bangun cemetery for praying.
Last year, a monument had been built at Kemusuk Lor Hamlet, Bantul regency, in the southern part of Yogyakarta by Soeharto’s extended family to recognize the chronicling’s life story of “the Smiling Military General”. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)