User:The man from Gianyar/Suharto
Second president of Indonesia (1921 – 2008) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Suharto (/suːˈhɑːrtoʊ/; Indonesian pronunciationⓘ; 8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was an Indonesian Army officer and politician, who served as the second and the longest serving President of Indonesia. Widely regarded as a dictator by international observers, Suharto was president for 31 years from the fall of Sukarno in 1967 until his resignation in 1998.[1][2][3] The legacy of his 31-year rule, and his US$38 billion net worth, is still debated at home and abroad.[4]
General (Ret.) Suharto | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2nd President of Indonesia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 27 March 1968 – 21 May 1998[lower-alpha 1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vice President | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Sukarno | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | B. J. Habibie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | (1921-06-08)8 June 1921 Kemusuk, Yogyakarta Sultanate, Dutch East Indies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 27 January 2008(2008-01-27) (aged 86) Jakarta, Indonesia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Resting place | Astana Giribangun, Matesih, Karanganyar Regency, Central Java | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Golkar (Golongan Karya) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children | Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana (Tutut)[1] Sigit Harjojudanto Bambang Trihatmodjo Siti Hediati Hariyadi (Titiek) Hutomo Mandala Putra (Tommy) Siti Hutami Endang Adiningsih (Mamiek) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Parents |
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Signature | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nickname(s) | Pak Harto, The Smiling General | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Military service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Allegiance | Dutch East Indies Indonesia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Branch/service | KNIL (1940 – 42) PETA (1942-45) Indonesian Army (1945-74) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years of service | 1940—1974 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rank | General of the Army | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Unit | Army General Reserve Corps (Kostrad) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Commands | Diponegoro Division Kostrad Indonesian Army Indonesian National Armed Forces | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Battles/wars | Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation Indonesian mass killings of 1965–66 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Suharto was born in the small village of Kemusuk, in the Godean area near the city of Yogyakarta, during the Dutch colonial era.[5] He grew up in humble circumstances.[6] His Javanese Muslim parents divorced not long after his birth, and he lived with foster parents for much of his childhood. During the Japanese occupation of the country, Suharto served in the Japanese-organized Indonesian security forces. During Indonesia's independence struggle, he joined joining the newly formed Indonesian Army. There, Suharto rose to the rank of Major general by the time full Indonesian independence was achieved.
An attempted coup on 30 September and 1 October 1965 was "countered" by Suharto-led troops. According to the official history made by the army, this attempt was backed by the Communist Party of Indonesia.[7] The army subsequently led an anti-communist purge and Suharto wrested power from Indonesia's founding president, Sukarno. He was appointed acting president in 1967 and elected president the following year. He then mounted a social campaign known as "de-Sukarnoization" to reduce the former president's influence. Support for Suharto's presidency was active throughout the 1970s and 1980s. By the 1990s, the New Order's authoritarianism and widespread corruption[8][9] were a source of discontent and, following the 1997 Asian financial crisis which led to widespread unrest, he resigned in May 1998. Suharto died in January 2008 and was given a state funeral.
Under his "New Order" administration, Suharto constructed a strong, centralised and military-dominated government. An ability to maintain stability over a sprawling and diverse Indonesia and an avowedly anti-communist stance won him the economic and diplomatic support of the West during the Cold War. For most of his presidency, Indonesia experienced significant industrialisation, economic growth, and improved levels of educational attainment.[10][11] Plans to award the status of National Hero to Suharto are being considered by the Indonesian government and have been debated vigorously in Indonesia.[12] According to Transparency International, Suharto is the most corrupt leader in modern history, having embezzled an alleged US$15–35 billion during his rule.[13][14]