PADA 27 Januari 2008 pukul 13.10, mantan Presiden Soeharto wafat. Jenazahnya disemayamkan di kediamannya, Jalan Cendana, dan dilayat pejabat tinggil negara, mulai presiden, wakil presiden, sampai para menteri. Masyarakat umum berjubel di sepanjang Jalan Cendana menonton para tetamu.
Senin pagi, 28 Januari 2008, ini jenazah mantan orang nomor satu RI itu diterbangkan ke pemakaman keluarga di Astana Giribangun. Ketua DPR Agung Laksono akan bertindak secara resmi dalam pelepasan jenazah di Jalan Cendana, Wakil Presiden Jusuf Kalla memimpin pelepasan di Halim Perdanakusumah. Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono menjadi inspektur upacara di Astana Giribangun.
Astana Giribangun yang diperuntukkan keluarga Nyonya Suhartinah Soeharto didirikan di Gunung Bangun yang tingginya 666 meter di atas permukaan laut. Cangkulan pertama dilakukan Tien Soeharto Rabu Kliwon, 13 Dulkangidah Jemakir 1905, bertepatan dengan 27 November 1974.
Dengan menggunakan 700 pekerja, bangunan yang merupakan gunung yang dipangkas tersebut diselesaikan dan diresmikan pada Jumat Wage, 23 Juli 1976. Jadi 30 tahun sebelum meninggal, Soeharto telah mempersiapkan tempat peristirahatan yang terakhir. Hal itu dilakukan Soeharto agar "tidak menyusahkan orang lain".
Soeharto memperoleh hak dan fasilitas sebagai seorang mantan kepala negara. Namun, hal yang berbeda dialami mantan Presiden Soekarno. Sewaktu mengalami semacam tahanan rumah di Wisma Yaso (sekarang Gedung Museum Satria Mandala Pusat Sejarah TNI) di Jalan Gatot Subroto, Jakarta, Soekarno tidak boleh dikunjungi masyarakat umum.
Pangdam Siliwangi H.R. Dharsono mengeluarkan perintah melarang rakyat Jawa Barat untuk mengunjungi dan dikunjungi mantan Presiden Soekarno. Kita ketahui, H.R. Dharsono kemudian juga menjadi kelompok Petisi 50 dan meminta maaf kepada keluarga Bung Karno atas perlakuannya pada masa lalu itu.
Putrinya sendiri, Rachmawati, hanya boleh besuk pada jam tertentu. Pada 21 Juni 1970, Bung Karno wafat setelah beberapa hari dirawat di RSPAD Gatot Subroto, Jakarta. Beberapa waktu sebelumnya, Rachmawati menanyakan kepada Brigjen Rubiono Kertapati, dokter kepresidenan, kalau Soekarno menderita gagal ginjal, kenapa tidak dilakukan cuci darah? Jawabannya, alat itu sedang diupayakan untuk dipesan ke Inggris.
Itu jelas sangat ironis. Pada masa revolusi pasca kemerdekaan, Jenderal Sudirman menderita penyakit TBC. Ketika itu, obatnya baru ditemukan di luar negeri, yakni streptomycin. Pemerintah Indonesia dalam keadaan yang sangat terbatas dan berperang menghadapi Belanda berusaha mendapatkan obat tersebut ke mancanegara, tetapi nyawa Panglima Sudirman tidak tertolong lagi. Hal itu tidak dilakukan terhadap Ir Soekarno.
Bung Karno dibaringkan di Wisma Yaso setelah wafat di RSPAD Gatot Subroto dan di situ pula dia dilepas Presiden Soeharto dan Nyonya Tien Soeharto. Situasi saat itu memang sangat tidak kondusif bagi Soekarno dan keluarganya. Beberapa hari sebelumnya, yakni 1 Juni 1970, Pangkopkamtib mengeluarkan larangan peringatan hari lahirnya Pancasila setiap 1 Juni. Soekarno sedang diperiksa atas tuduhan terlibat dalam percobaan kudeta untuk menggulingkan dirinya sendiri. Pemeriksaan tersebut dihentikan setelah sakit Bung Karno semakin parah.
Pada 22 Juni 1970, jenazah sang proklamator dibawa ke Halim Perdanakusumah menuju Malang. Di Malang disediakan mobil jenazah yang sudah tua milik Angkatan Darat, demikian pengamatan Rachmawati Soekarnoputri (di dalam buku Bapakku Ibuku, 1984) yang membawanya ke Blitar.
Sepanjang jalan Malang-Blitar, rakyat melepas kepergian sang proklamator di pinggir jalan. Di sini Soekarno dimakamkan dengan Inspektur Upacara Panglima ABRI Jenderal Panggabean pada sore hari. Sambutan dibacakan sangat singkat.
Soekarno hanya dimakamkan di pemakaman umum di samping ibunya. Seusai acara resmi, rakyat ikut menabur bunga. Karena banyaknya tanaman itu, sampai terbentuk gunung kecil di atas pusara Sang Putra Fajar tersebut. Namun tak lama kemudian, rakyat yang tidak kunjung beranjak dari makam kemudian mengambil bunga-bunga itu sebagai kenangan-kenangan. Dalam tempo singkat, makam Bung Karno kembali rata sama dengan tanah.
Pemakaman di Blitar itu berdasar Keputusan Presiden RI No 44/1970 tertanggal 21 Juni 1970. Keputusan tersebut diambil dengan berkonsultasi bersama pelbagai tokoh masyarakat. Padahal, Masagung dalam buku Wasiat Bung Karno (yang baru terbit pada 1998) mengungkapkan bahwa sebetulnya Soekarno telah menulis semacam wasiat masing-masing dua kali kepada Hartini (16 September 1964 dan 24 Mei 1965) dan Ratna Sari Dewi (20 Maret 1961 dan 6 Juni 1962). Di dalam salah satu wasiat itu dicantumkan tempat makam Bung Karno, yakni di bawah kebun nan rindang di Kebun Raya Bogor.
Di dalam otobiografinya, Soeharto mengatakan bahwa sebelum memutuskan tempat pemakaman Soekarno, dirinya mengundang pemimpin partai. Jelas Soeharto menganggap itu masalah politik yang cukup pelik. Jadi, pemakaman tidak ditentukan keluarga, tetapi melalui pertimbangan elite politik.
Kemudian, Soeharto melalui keputusan presiden menetapkan pemakaman di Blitar konon dengan alasan tidak ada kesepakatan di antara keluarga. Apakah betul demikian? Sebab, pendapat lain mengatakan bahwa hal itu dilakukan Soeharto demi pertimbangan keamanan. Jika dikuburkan di Kebun Raya, pendukung Bung Karno akan berdatangan ke sana dalam rombongan yang sangat banyak, sedangkan jarak Bogor dengan ibu kota Jakarta tidak begitu jauh. Hal tersebut dianggap berbahaya, apalagi saat itu menjelang Pemilu 1971.
Pemugaran makam Bung Karno juga penuh kontroversi. Pemugaran dilakukan pada 1978 dengan memindahkan makam-makam orang lain itu. Menurut Ali Murtopo di depan kader PDI se-Jawa Timur, ide tersebut berasal dari Presiden Soeharto. Masyarakat tentu bisa menduga bahwa itu dilakukan dalam rangka mengambil hati para pendukung Bung Karno menjelang pemilu. Dalam pemugaran tersebut, keluarga tidak diajak ikut serta. Bahkan, dalam peresmian pemugaran itu, putra-putri Soekarno tidak hadir.
Dalam prosesi pemakaman di Kalitan-Solo, Megawati tidak hadir karena sedang berada di luar negeri. Namun, kabarnya putra tertua Bung Karno, Guntur Sukarno Putra, mewakili keluarga mantan Presiden Soekarno akan datang ke Astana Giribangun. Ketika Soeharto di Rumah Sakit Pertamina, Guruh juga berkunjung. Ini suatu pelajaran sejarah berharga bagi bangsa kita. Jangan lagi kesalahan masa lalu diulang dan marilah kita berjiwa besar.
* Dr Asvi Warman Adam, sejarawan, ahli peneliti utama LIPI
Soeharto`s death a great loss to Asean
JAKARTA (Berita Nasional) : The death of former Indonesian president Soeharto, who is also one of the founders of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) which consists of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, The Philippines and Vietnam, is a great loss to the regional grouping.
Expressions of loss came among others from Malaysian foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar,as AFP quoted him saying on Sunday.
Soeharto (86) passed away on Sunday (Jan 27) at 13:10 local time after suffering from multiple organ failure at the Pertamina Hospital in South Jakarta.
The Indonesian second president had undergone intensive medical treatment for 24 days since he was admitted to the hospital on Friday, January 4, 2008, for anemia and severe edema.
Expressing his sadness about Soeharto`s death, Albar said the former Indonesian strong man had contributed a great deal to the economic development of Indonesia, and ASEAN in general.
According to him, Malaysia on Monday will send Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and former Prime Minister Mahathir Muhammad and Musa Hitam to concey their last respects and condolences on Soeharto`s death.
Recalling Soeharto`s success to help create political stability in the ASEAN region, Albar said that apart from Indonesia, Malaysia and ASEAN also became a grief-stricken region over the second Indonesian president`s death.
Malaysia and Indonesia enjoyed friendly relations after Soeharto and former Foreign Minister Adam Malik put an end to the confrontation between the two neighboring countries.
Singapore`s Prime Minister Lee Shien Loong arrived in Jakarta on Sunday evening to pay his last respects to the former Indonesian president.
Earlier, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia Sok An, some other former ASEAN leaders such as Mahathir Mohammad and Norodom Raharidh (son of Cambodian King, Prince Norodom Sihanouk) had visited Soeharto while still under treatment at the Pertamina hospital.
Apart from that, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo expressed condolences over the death of former Indonesian president Soeharto on Sunday, saying he "will never be forgotten."
Arroyo hailed Soeharto for his leadership in the South-East Asian region and contributions to building peace in the Philippines` troubled southern region of Mindanao.
"For these enduring legacies, President Soeharto will never be forgotten," DPA quoted Arroyo as saying.
"The government of the Philippines and the Filipino people join me in offering deepest sympathies and condolences on the demise of former president Soeharto," she said in a statement.
"As one of the founding fathers of ASEAN, President Soeharto was among those who had the pioneering vision of establishing a more peaceful, progressive and prosperous South-east Asian region founded on mutual respect and understanding," she said.
State funeral
Top state officials and foreign dignitaries are expected to attend the state funeral, including Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, former prime minister Mahathir Muhammad, former East Timor president Xanana Gusmao, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his deputy S Jayakumar, and former Philippine president Fidel Ramos.
In addition, all foreign ambassadors to Indonesia are expected to attend the state funeral at the Astana Giri Bangun graveyard in Karanganyar about 30 km southeast of Solo, Central Java.
On Sunday evening, tens of ranking officials and former officials paid their last respects to Soeharto at his Cendana residence, following the arrivals of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda Sunday recalled the former Indonesian President Suharto`s efforts to maintain friendly relations between the two nations, AFP quoted Fukuda as saying on Sunday.
Fukuda sent a message of condolences to current Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono after Soeharto died.
"I sincerely pray that former President Soeharto would rest in peace. President Soeharto had long worked to maintain the friendly and goodwill relations between our nation and Indonesia," Fukuda said in the message.
"I represent the Japanese government and the Japanese public to express our condolences to your government and your people," he said to Yudhoyono.
Meanwhile, report said, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd expressed sorrow at the death of former Indonesian president Soeharto Sunday but described him as a "controversial figure" on human rights and East Timor.
Rudd paid tribute to Soeharto`s role in modernizing Indonesia and his role in helping establish the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and APEC, describing him as an "influential figure in the Australia region and beyond".
"Now the world`s third largest democracy, Indonesia, is a close friend and neighbor with which Australia shares vital political and security interests," he said.
"Indonesia`s success as a modern democracy is a major interest not just to Australia, but to our region and the world," he said.
Report said from Dili, Timor Leste, that General Chairman of the National Council of East Timor Reconstruction Party (CNRT) Xanana Gusmao extended his condolences over the death of Soeharto.
"As a human being, Xanana expressed his deep condolences," Secretary General of CNRT Party Dionisio `Didi` Babo, Soares PhD through a statement directly sent to ANTARA News in Dili, on Sunday afternoon.
In the name of the CNRT party of Timor Leste, his side was reported to share the condolences with the people of Indonesia over the death of the former New Order strongman.
According to him, even though Xanana was once jailed during Soeharto`s regime, he still showed humanistic solidarity by extending his condolences.
Xanana Gusmao was jailed when East Timor was still the 27th province of Indonesia during Soeharto`s rule.
After the independence of East Timor through a referendum, Xanana Gusmao become the first president of Timor Leste.
Recalling his merits to Cambodia, Soeharto who was also dubbed as the smiling general in the country, contributed a very significant meaning for the Cambodian stability following the internal political problems in decades ago.
It seems that the visit of Cambodian leaders to Jakarta to pay their last respects to Soeharto, the country will not forget Indonesia`s role when Jakarta hosted the Jakarta Informal Meetings (JIM) I, II and III which led to Cambodian political stability. (Bustanuddin/antara)
Expressions of loss came among others from Malaysian foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar,as AFP quoted him saying on Sunday.
Soeharto (86) passed away on Sunday (Jan 27) at 13:10 local time after suffering from multiple organ failure at the Pertamina Hospital in South Jakarta.
The Indonesian second president had undergone intensive medical treatment for 24 days since he was admitted to the hospital on Friday, January 4, 2008, for anemia and severe edema.
Expressing his sadness about Soeharto`s death, Albar said the former Indonesian strong man had contributed a great deal to the economic development of Indonesia, and ASEAN in general.
According to him, Malaysia on Monday will send Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and former Prime Minister Mahathir Muhammad and Musa Hitam to concey their last respects and condolences on Soeharto`s death.
Recalling Soeharto`s success to help create political stability in the ASEAN region, Albar said that apart from Indonesia, Malaysia and ASEAN also became a grief-stricken region over the second Indonesian president`s death.
Malaysia and Indonesia enjoyed friendly relations after Soeharto and former Foreign Minister Adam Malik put an end to the confrontation between the two neighboring countries.
Singapore`s Prime Minister Lee Shien Loong arrived in Jakarta on Sunday evening to pay his last respects to the former Indonesian president.
Earlier, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia Sok An, some other former ASEAN leaders such as Mahathir Mohammad and Norodom Raharidh (son of Cambodian King, Prince Norodom Sihanouk) had visited Soeharto while still under treatment at the Pertamina hospital.
Apart from that, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo expressed condolences over the death of former Indonesian president Soeharto on Sunday, saying he "will never be forgotten."
Arroyo hailed Soeharto for his leadership in the South-East Asian region and contributions to building peace in the Philippines` troubled southern region of Mindanao.
"For these enduring legacies, President Soeharto will never be forgotten," DPA quoted Arroyo as saying.
"The government of the Philippines and the Filipino people join me in offering deepest sympathies and condolences on the demise of former president Soeharto," she said in a statement.
"As one of the founding fathers of ASEAN, President Soeharto was among those who had the pioneering vision of establishing a more peaceful, progressive and prosperous South-east Asian region founded on mutual respect and understanding," she said.
State funeral
Top state officials and foreign dignitaries are expected to attend the state funeral, including Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, former prime minister Mahathir Muhammad, former East Timor president Xanana Gusmao, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his deputy S Jayakumar, and former Philippine president Fidel Ramos.
In addition, all foreign ambassadors to Indonesia are expected to attend the state funeral at the Astana Giri Bangun graveyard in Karanganyar about 30 km southeast of Solo, Central Java.
On Sunday evening, tens of ranking officials and former officials paid their last respects to Soeharto at his Cendana residence, following the arrivals of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda Sunday recalled the former Indonesian President Suharto`s efforts to maintain friendly relations between the two nations, AFP quoted Fukuda as saying on Sunday.
Fukuda sent a message of condolences to current Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono after Soeharto died.
"I sincerely pray that former President Soeharto would rest in peace. President Soeharto had long worked to maintain the friendly and goodwill relations between our nation and Indonesia," Fukuda said in the message.
"I represent the Japanese government and the Japanese public to express our condolences to your government and your people," he said to Yudhoyono.
Meanwhile, report said, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd expressed sorrow at the death of former Indonesian president Soeharto Sunday but described him as a "controversial figure" on human rights and East Timor.
Rudd paid tribute to Soeharto`s role in modernizing Indonesia and his role in helping establish the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and APEC, describing him as an "influential figure in the Australia region and beyond".
"Now the world`s third largest democracy, Indonesia, is a close friend and neighbor with which Australia shares vital political and security interests," he said.
"Indonesia`s success as a modern democracy is a major interest not just to Australia, but to our region and the world," he said.
Report said from Dili, Timor Leste, that General Chairman of the National Council of East Timor Reconstruction Party (CNRT) Xanana Gusmao extended his condolences over the death of Soeharto.
"As a human being, Xanana expressed his deep condolences," Secretary General of CNRT Party Dionisio `Didi` Babo, Soares PhD through a statement directly sent to ANTARA News in Dili, on Sunday afternoon.
In the name of the CNRT party of Timor Leste, his side was reported to share the condolences with the people of Indonesia over the death of the former New Order strongman.
According to him, even though Xanana was once jailed during Soeharto`s regime, he still showed humanistic solidarity by extending his condolences.
Xanana Gusmao was jailed when East Timor was still the 27th province of Indonesia during Soeharto`s rule.
After the independence of East Timor through a referendum, Xanana Gusmao become the first president of Timor Leste.
Recalling his merits to Cambodia, Soeharto who was also dubbed as the smiling general in the country, contributed a very significant meaning for the Cambodian stability following the internal political problems in decades ago.
It seems that the visit of Cambodian leaders to Jakarta to pay their last respects to Soeharto, the country will not forget Indonesia`s role when Jakarta hosted the Jakarta Informal Meetings (JIM) I, II and III which led to Cambodian political stability. (Bustanuddin/antara)