National Hero of Indonesia (Indonesian: Pahlawan Nasional Indonesia) is the highest-level title awarded in Indonesia.[1] It is posthumously given by the Government of Indonesia for actions which are deemed to be heroic, defined as "actual deeds which can be remembered and exemplified for all time by other citizens"[a] or "extraordinary service furthering the interests of the state and people".[b][2] The Ministry of Social Affairs gives seven criteria which an individual must fulfill, as follows:[2]
Have been an Indonesian citizen[c] who is deceased and, during his or her lifetime, led an armed struggle or produced a concept or product useful to the state;
Have continued the struggle throughout his or her life and performed above and beyond the call of duty;
Have had a wide-reaching impact through his or her actions;
Have been of good moral standing and respectable character;
Never surrendered to his or her enemies; and
Never committed an act which taints his or her legacy.[d]
Nominations undergo a four-step process and must be approved at each level. A proposal is made by the general populace in a city or regency to the mayor or regent, who must then make a request to the province's governor. The governor then makes a recommendation to the Ministry of Social Affairs, which forwards it to the president, represented by the Board of Titles (Dewan Gelar);[2] this board consists of two academics, two persons of a military background, and three persons who have previously received an award or title.[1] Those selected by the president, as represented by the Board, are awarded the title at a ceremony in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.[2] Since 2000, the ceremony has occurred in early November, coinciding with Indonesia's Heroes' Day (Hari Pahlawan).[3]
The legal framework for the title, initially styled National Independence Hero (Pahlawan Kemerdekaan Nasional), was established with the release of Presidential Decree No. 241 of 1958. The title was first awarded on 30 August 1959 to the politician turned writer Abdul Muis, who had died the previous month.[4][5][6] This title was used for the rest of Sukarno's rule. When Suharto rose to power in the mid-1960s, the title was given its current name. Special titles at the level of National Hero have also been awarded. Hero of the Revolution (Pahlawan Revolusi) was given in 1965 to ten victims of the 30 September Movement that resulted in end of Sukarno reign, while Sukarno and former vice-president Mohammad Hatta were given the title Proclamation Heroes (Pahlawan Proklamasi) in 1988 for their role in reading the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence.[3][4][6]
The following list is initially presented in alphabetical order; owing to differing cultural naming conventions, not all entries are sorted by last name. The list is further sortable by year of birth, death, and recognition. Names are standardised using the Indonesian Spelling System and thus may not reflect the original spelling.[e]
^Original: "'... perbuatan nyata yang dapat dikenang dan diteladani sepanjang masa bagi warga masyarakat lainnya."
^Original: "... berjasa sangat luar biasa bagi kepentingan bangsa dan negara."
^Act No. 20 of 2009 harvnb error: no target: CITEREFAct_No._20_of_2009 (help) gives provisions for persons who died before Indonesia's independence in 1945, allowing those who "fought against colonialism in an area that is now part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia" (Original: "berjuang melawan penjajahan di wilayah yang sekarang menjadi wilayah Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia") to receive the title.
Warga Negara Indonesia yang telah meninggal dunia dan semasa hidupnya:
Telah memimpin dan melakukan perjuangan bersenjata atau perjuangan politik/ perjuangan dalam bidang lain mencapai/ merebut /memper tahankan/mengisi kemerdekaan serta mewujudkan persatuan dan kesatuan bangsa.
Telah melahirkan gagasan atau pemikiran besar yang dapat menunjang pembangunan bangsa dan negara.
Telah menghasilkan karya besar yang mendatangkan manfaat bagi kesejahteraan masyarakat luas atau meningkatkan harkat dan martabat bangsa Indonesia.
Pengabdian dan Perjuangan yang dilakukannya berlangsung hampir sepanjang hidupnya (tidak sesaat) dan melebihi tugas yang diembannya.
Perjuangan yang dilakukan mempunyai jangkauan luas dan berdampak nasional.
Memiliki konsistensi jiwa dan semangat kebangsaan/nasionalisme yang tinggi.
Memiliki akhlak dan moral yang tinggi.
Tidak menyerah pada lawan/musuh dalam perjuangannya.
Datam riwayat hidupnya tidak pernah melakukan perbuatan tercela yang dapat merusak nilai perjuangannya.
^The Indonesian language has undergone several spelling reforms since the country declared its independence in 1945. As of 2020, the Indonesian Spelling System, issued in 2015, is the official spelling system in Indonesia.
^Some sources give his birth year as 1886 or 1890.
^Also known by the Sundanese name Danudirja Setiabudi
^ ab Previously declared a Proclamation Hero in 1986
^1916 is the date recognised by the Indonesian government. The actual date may be different. Several sources, for example, give 1912 (Said 1991, p. 80).
^Generally noted as Nyai Ahmad Dahlan, meaning "wife of Ahmad Dahlan"
"Abdul Muis". Encyclopedia of Jakarta (in Indonesian). Jakarta City Government. Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
"Daftar Nama Pahlawan Nasional Republik Indonesia (1)" [List of Names of National Heroes of the Republic of Indonesia (1)]. Awards of the Republic of Indonesia (in Indonesian). Indonesian State Secretariat. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
"Daftar Nama Pahlawan Nasional Republik Indonesia (2)" [List of Names of National Heroes of the Republic of Indonesia (2)]. Awards of the Republic of Indonesia (in Indonesian). Indonesian State Secretariat. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
"Iskandar Muda". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
Kamajaya (1981). Lima Putera-Puteri Aceh Pahlawan Nasional [Five Sons and Daughters of Aceh that are National Heroes] (in Indonesian). Yogyakarta: U.P. Indonesia. OCLC65644873.
Mirnawati (2012). Kumpulan Pahlawan Indonesia Terlengkap [Most Complete Collection of Indonesian Heroes] (in Indonesian). Jakarta: CIF. ISBN978-979-788-343-0.
"Prosedur Penganugerahan Gelar Pahlawan Nasional" [Procedure for Awarding the Title of National Hero]. Awards of the Republic of Indonesia (in Indonesian). Indonesian State Secretariat. Archived from the original on 28 December 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
Said, Salim (1991). Genesis of Power: General Sudirman and the Indonesian Military in Politics, 1945–49. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. ISBN978-981-3035-90-4.