A member of a civil society movement holds a banner reading “Suharto is not a hero“ during the Kamisan (Thursday) rally opposing the government's plan to grant former president Soeharto national hero status near the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Nov. 6, 2025. (AFP/Yasuyoshi Chiba)
Democracy itself is anti-heroic. Progress does not come from the benevolence of a single messiah but from the collective operation of an impersonal system.
T his year’s list of national hero honorees has sparked controversy. Alongside popular figures such as former president and pluralism icon Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid and slain labor activist Marsinah, the name Soeharto appeared, a figure many believe is utterly unworthy of the title. During his 32 years in power, Soeharto committed what many regard as grave historical wrongs.
But beyond the immediate controversy, a deeper question arises: why does the state grant such titles at all? Do we, as a democratic nation, really need heroes?
According to Law No. 20/2009, the title of national hero can only be awarded posthumously to those who rendered great service
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