1) Rewriting Soeharto's story
Indonesian conservatives are rewriting the 32-year history of the late second president Soeharto, a former army general, champion of corruption and destroyer of democracy.
They want him promoted to the status of a national hero along with first president Soekarno, the man he overthrew. It’s selective memory time in the nation next door smothered with irony.
The first modern humans are believed to have lived in what’s now the Indonesian archipelago for about 60,000 years, leaving a legacy of myths and facts, legends and languages. Although many are taught in schools with pride, more recent events are off the curriculum.
As astronomer Dr Carl Sagan said: “You have to know the past to understand the present,” but in Indonesia, learning about the near times can be taboo. Prime is Soeharto’s record, how he came to power, who he was representing and what dirty deals he was doing.
(The present President Prabowo Subianto has also got a murky past of alleged human rights abuses when dealing with insurrectionists in East Timor and West Papua last century. These put him on a US and Australian visa blacklist.)
About half the nation’s present population of 285 million was born after 1998, when Soeharto was forced to quit due to democratic student uprisings. Few know the whole story, as the tame local media endorses the “ Smiling General” as though a forced grin made him a benign champion of the wong cilik – the wee folk
The “national hero” proposal for Soeharto is not getting traction among the political classes with memories, or those who have read histories published overseas. The Republic currently has 206 “national heroes” – 16 are women. Most have come from politics and the military.
The nomination of Soeharto has been accompanied by slogans like “It was good in my days, ya?” Not all are persuaded, including Soekarno’s daughter Megawati, who apparently remembers Soeharto’s snub when she wanted her dad buried in Jakarta for easy access. His tomb is 750 km distant, in East Java,
This year thousands of imitation skulls were scattered around a Jakarta hotel “as a symbol of how dark and terrifying the New Order era of former president Soeharto was”, according to an activist group called Volunteers for Democratic Struggle.
The international Union of Catholic Asian News website claimed, “Suharto’s iron-fisted rule from 1967 until his resignation in 1998, after a mass uprising, is considered one of the most brutal and corrupt in the 20th century.
“His administration was accused of mass rights violations, arbitrary killings and the disappearance of thousands, including alleged communists, students, and ethnic Chinese.”
Indonesians are poorly educated when measured against their peers elsewhere, a fact that worries economic and social planners. The latest survey has Indonesia ranking 62nd among 72 nations whose teen students were tested for abilities to meet future needs.
The _Program for International Student Assessment_ is run by the OECD “to measure the knowledge and skills of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, and science to see how well they can apply their learning to real-life challenges”.
With so much lousy schooling, a hard-nosed look at the late autocrat’s rule is overdue, including the reminder that some campaigns were driven by fear.
During the mid-1980s, Petrus was Soeharto’s idea to make Jakarta’s streets safe for folk who rarely call the police for help lest they cop a shakedown.
Petrus is a contraction of Penembakan Misterius – mysterious killings. As Indonesians are big on black magic, the term worked on practical and spiritual levels. It brought back law and order by dispensing with those democratic essentials.
Academics called it “prophylactic murder”.
Prabowo, another one-time career general, has been refreshing the Soeharto tough-guy ideology through militarising the civil administration and expanding the army’s grip on society.
Its modern manifestation is the US military strikes against boats in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific, where it’s alleged the crews are drug runners. The dead can’t deny.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has called for an investigation: “These attacks and their mounting human cost are unacceptable. The US must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats.”
Between 1983 and 1985, Jakartans who woke early to pray found roads to the mosques blocked. With corpses. The death squads had worked overtime.
By dawn, the gore had dried but the bodies’ eyes were propped open in fear as they lay sprawled on the asphalt or leaning against street signs.
Once the population had got the message that the army had orders to shoot first and never ask questions, anyone thinking of some after-hours fun of break-ins and car thefts might reconsider their entertainment.
How did the gunmen know who was a criminal, political rival or just a nuisance neighbour who cooked smelly curries? They didn’t, but who cared? The presumption of innocence was a namby-pamby ideal for Western fusspots who favoured sentencing by impartial courts, not target-hunters.
Some estimates put the victim numbers around 10,000. Others far less, but whatever the data, the policy worked and the burbs became safe. Another triumph for the former army general who knew a couple of truths: All power comes from the barrel of a gun, and court processes are messy.
Petrus has yet to return, but Prabowo reckons military men make the best rulers of a civil society that’s gone slack or become annoyingly corruption-free. Jobs in provincial administration are now being run by men in uniform with qualifications in killing, but not peace-making.
Indonesia’s national hero-in-waiting was a kleptomaniac, according to Time, accumulating US$32 billion in public funds during his Washington-backed Orde Baru (New Order) anti-Communist regime.
The weekly said it spent four months on investigations in 11 countries for another story, The Family Firm; This alleged the former president and his kids had grabbed Indonesian land about equal to the size of Belgium.
The magazine lost a libel action over its 1999 cover story, Suharto Inc (alternative spelling) and was ordered to pay almost US$93 million. This was later overturned by Indonesia’s Supreme Court.
The list of alleged wrongdoings, killings and rip-offs is extensive, but the late Prez could still become a national hero.
Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Agus Jabo Priyono told journalists that the authority to grant the title lay with the Palace.
That means Prabowo, Soeharto’s former son-in-law through a failed marriage to the old man’s second daughter, Siti Hediati Hariyadim, 69, will adjudicate.
She’s a businesswoman and politician in her former hubby’s Gerindra (Make Indonesia Great) Party. She used to belong to Berkarya (work), the party of her brother Hutomo Mandala Putra (aka Tommy).
He allegedly orchestrated the murder of the judge who sentenced him to 15 years’ jail for corruption in 2000. He was released on parole after serving four years.
Bedraggled Indonesian victims shorthand the complex, economically-strangling and morally debilitating system as KKN – Korupsi, Kolusi, Nepotisme. Every presidential aspirant claims it’ll get fixed.
The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.
Duncan Graham
Duncan Graham has been a journalist for more than 40 years in print, radio and TV. He is the author of People Next Door (UWA Press). He is now writing for the English language media in Indonesia from within Indonesia. Duncan Graham has an MPhil degree, a Walkley Award, two Human Rights Commission awards and other prizes for his radio, TV and print journalism in Australia. He lives in East Java.
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https://en.antaranews.com/news/390757/a-glimpse-into-papuas-journey-under-free-meals-program
2) A glimpse into Papua's journey under free meals program
November 8, 2025 21:52 GMT+700
Jayapura (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto introduced the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program as one of his flagship initiatives designed to bring Indonesia to its zenith under the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision, which he believes is anchored in quality human capital.
Launched on January 6 this year, the MBG program is envisioned as a strategic means to improve the nutritional intake of children, teenagers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers in a bid to nurture healthy, intelligent, and competitive talents capable of advancing Indonesia globally.
By the end of October 2025, the program had served more than one billion portions of nutritious meals to nearly 40 million citizens nationwide, including in six provinces across the Papua region, with support from around 13 thousand kitchens officially called Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPGs).
The government has designated the Papua region as one of its priority areas for the MBG program, given its more complex nutritional issues and challenges compared to other parts of Indonesia.
In Papua Province, for instance, the stunting prevalence rate stood at 28.6 percent, higher than the national average of 21.5 percent, according to the 2023 Indonesia Health Survey. This rate indicates that three out of ten children in the province have their growth impeded by chronic malnutrition.
“Nutrition-related issues in Papua are complex and rooted not only in limited access to food but also in inadequate parenting methods, illnesses, and living environment conditions. Integrated, cross-sector measures are key to addressing these matters,” Papua Deputy Governor Aryoko Rumaropen said.
Such measures should be complemented by an effective and holistic approach to food safety requirements, the formulation of menus with balanced nutritional content, and the monitoring of children’s growth and development.
As of August, the Papua region was home to more than 100 SPPGs, including 38 in Papua Province, 27 in West Papua Province, 15 in Southwest Papua Province, 14 in Central Papua Province, four in Highland Papua Province, and three in South Papua Province.
In these provinces, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) directs SPPG operators to make the most of locally sourced ingredients and food materials for the MBG program, such as fish, cassava, soybeans, water spinach, papaya flowers, corn, moringa leaves, sweet potatoes, chayote, and sayur lilin (Saccharum edule).
This approach is meant to ensure that the MBG program benefits local communities both nutritionally and economically. Central Papua Governor Meki Fritz Nawipa approved this approach, confirming that the program has benefited not only MBG recipients but also farmers and ranchers.
Tracing progress
Only several months into its implementation, the MBG program has led to concrete improvements in public health.
In Jayapura City, Papua Province, MBG has contributed to a decline in stunting prevalence, from 21.3 percent in 2023 to 15.5 percent in September 2025. This achievement is inseparable from the program’s reach of over 33 thousand people across the city, including nearly 500 pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers.
As of October, the program had served around 34 thousand people in Jayapura District and more than three thousand schoolchildren in Mimika District, Central Papua. By August, MBG had reached approximately three million beneficiaries across West Papua and Southwest Papua provinces.
These figures also suggest that the program has, to some extent, stimulated local economies, particularly through the operations of dozens of SPPGs. BGN Deputy Head Nanik S. Deyang noted that each kitchen could employ around 50 workers and engage more than 10 local ingredient suppliers.
With its vast natural resources and culturally rich communities, the Papua region holds strong potential to cultivate a generation of excellence, especially as the government positions the MBG program as a vital social investment to raise healthy, intelligent, and resilient youth capable of navigating global dynamics.
Still, several challenges remain, notably limited access to remote areas, which continues to hinder the distribution of food supplies, and a shortage of professional nutritionists at community health centers to monitor child growth and development.
Such challenges, however, should not be seen as roadblocks. Instead, they must serve as motivation for all stakeholders to act with creativity and innovation, understanding that every problem, with the right approach, has a solution.
Fostering collaboration
As stated earlier, due to the complex nature of the nutritional challenges it faces, the Papua region requires greater efforts to foster synergy among key stakeholders, including government institutions, business entities, and the public.
The central government is well aware of this necessity, as reflected in a dialogue held by the Ministry of State Secretariat in Manokwari District, West Papua, on October 13, under President Prabowo’s instruction.
The event aimed to gather input and suggestions related to the MBG program’s implementation from local governments, schools, and SPPG operators.
During the dialogue, the ministry urged the BGN to step up coordination with regional governments and encouraged greater contributions from local education and health offices to the national program.
Meanwhile, the Papua provincial government has partnered with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to mobilize schools to play an active role in promoting nutritional and health education for children to support the MBG program.
Deputy Governor Rumaropen expressed confidence that schools have the capacity not only to enlighten children but also to guide them to grow into mentally and physically healthy individuals.
Airin Roshita, a UNICEF nutrition specialist, noted that the provision of free nutritious meals in schools has led to better attendance and achievement among students in various countries, especially among children from families with limited access to decent food.
She said UNICEF will support the Papua region, particularly Papua Province, to enhance MBG implementation through capacity-building activities for teachers, dissemination of nutritional needs for parents, and improvements in school sanitation quality.
Solid synergy among all stakeholders could help Papua emerge as a national model for the implementation of the MBG program, she added.
The MBG program has also sparked greater awareness that the responsibility for shaping Papua’s future does not rest solely with the state but also with schools, families, and communities.
Every plate of nutritious food served stands as a symbol of hope, telling people that meaningful change can begin with simple steps, from a humble plate of rice complemented by nutritious side dishes that bring smiles to children’s faces.
In the long term, the MBG program serves as a strategic vehicle for instilling healthy eating habits among Papuan children. The initiative goes beyond providing free meals; it aims to nurture a culture of health and mutual care.
Related news: Free meals program reach 23,540 students in West Papua's Manokwari
Related news: BGN taps local MSMEs to supply MBG kitchens in West Papua
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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https://en.antaranews.com/news/390729/indonesian-govt-pledges-aid-for-orphanages-in-highland-papua
3) Indonesian govt pledges aid for orphanages in Highland Papua
November 8, 2025 17:37 GMT+700
Jayawijaya, Highland Papua (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Ministry of Social Affairs has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting orphanages and temporary shelters across Highland Papua Province, following a direct assessment of local facilities in need.
During a visit to the Izinmo Orphanage in Holkima Village, Jayawijaya District, ministry officials Bisner Hotman Malau and Faisal from the Directorate of Child Social Rehabilitation promised to push for government assistance through official channels.
“We will forward the aid proposal from the Highland Papua Social Affairs Office to our leadership so that orphanages and shelters here receive the support they need,” Malau said Saturday.
He noted that orphanages such as Izinmo require special government attention because they care for children from birth, necessitating consistent supplies of milk, food, and other basic needs.
“We have reviewed the situation firsthand, and our next step is to report our findings to the central government so that facilities like Izinmo can be prioritized for assistance,” he added.
Related news: Improve Papua healthcare facilities following VP's directive : Deputy
Malau stressed that while the ministry is determined to help, all support must go through the proper administrative process.
“We cannot bypass procedures, but we will do everything possible to improve the welfare of children in Highland Papua’s orphanages and shelters,” he said.
Ronald Yikwa, head of the Social Rehabilitation Division at the Highland Papua Social Affairs Office, said the visit aimed to provide the central government with an accurate picture of local challenges.
“We arranged this visit to strengthen our proposal for aid from Jakarta to improve the welfare of orphaned and vulnerable children in our region,” Yikwa said.
The ministry’s outreach reflects growing efforts to ensure that children in remote and underdeveloped areas, particularly in Papua’s highlands, receive equal access to social protection and care.
Related news: Papua govt sends five specialist doctors to Biak Public Hospital
Translator: Yudhi E, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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