Profile of President Suharto | Biography of Soeharto – The Former 2nd President of Indonesia
Suharto was an Indonesian military officer and politician, who served as the second and the longest serving president of Indonesia (from 1968 to 1998).
 |
|
| Full Name + Title (Nama Lengkap) |
Jend. Besar TNI Purn. Haji Muhammad Soeharto |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Soeharto (original spelling, older Indonesian transcription) / Suharto (modern Indonesian orthography) |
| Nicknames | The Smiling General, Pak Harto |
| Brithdate / Born (Tempat, Tanggal Lahir) |
June 8, 1921, Kemusuk |
| Died (Meninggal) |
27 January 2008 (aged 86) Jakarta, Indonesia |
| Resting place (Makam) |
Astana Giribangun |
| Occupation (Pekerjaan) |
Military Officer, Politician |
| Sex / Gender (Jenis kelamin) |
Male |
| Tall (Tinggi badan) |
168 cm |
| Religion (Agama) |
Islam |
| House Address (Alamat Rumah) |
Jl. Cendana No.8, RT.2/RW.1, Gondangdia, Kec. Menteng, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10350 |
| Ethnic | Javanese |
| Parents (Nama Ayah & Ibu) |
Kertosudiro (father), Sukirah (mother) |
| Spouse (Nama Istri) |
Siti Hartinah (m. 1947–1996) |
| Children (Anak) |
|
| Education (Pendidikan) |
Schakel Muhammadiyah |
| Alma mater | KNIL Kadetschool |
| Party | Golkar |
| Presidential term | March 27, 1968 – May 21, 1998 |
General TNI Ret. Haji Muhammad Soeharto, born in Dusun Kemusuk, Argomulyo Village, Sedayu District, Bantul, Yogyakarta, June 8, 1921 – died in Jakarta, January 27, 2008 at the age of 86. He served as the second President of Indonesia (1967-1998), replacing Soekarno. In the international world, especially in the Western World, Soeharto is often referred to by the popular nickname “The Smiling General” (Indonesian: “The Smiling General”) because of his always smiling face in front of the press at every official state event.
Before becoming president, Soeharto was a military leader during the Japanese and Dutch occupations, with the last rank of Major General.
Suharto officially became president in 1968. He was re-elected by the MPR in 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, and 1998. In 1998, his term ended after he resigned on May 21 of that year, following the May 1998 riots and the occupation of the DPR/MPR building by thousands of students. He was the longest-serving Indonesian president. Suharto was succeeded by B.J. Habibie.
Military career of Suharto
On June 1, 1940, Suharto was accepted as a student at a military school in Gombong, Central Java. After six months of basic training, he graduated from military school as the best graduate and received the rank of corporal. He was selected as an exemplary soldier at the Bintara School, Gombong and officially became a member of the TNI on October 5, 1945.
Previously, when World War II raged in 1942, he was sent to Bandung to become a reserve soldier at the Army Headquarters for a week. After being ranked sergeant in the KNIL army, he then became a platoon commander, company commander in the Japanese-sponsored military known as the PETA army, regimental commander with the rank of major, and battalion commander with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
After the War of Independence ended, he remained the Commander of the Garuda Mataram Brigade with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He led the Garuda Mataram Brigade in the operation to crush the Andi Azis rebellion in Sulawesi. Then, he was appointed as Commander of APRIS (Armed Forces of the Republic of Indonesia) Makassar City Sector whose task was to secure the city from disturbances from ex-KNIL/KL.
On March 1, 1949, he took part in a general attack that succeeded in occupying the city of Yogyakarta for six hours. The initiative arose from the suggestion of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX to Commander-in-Chief Soedirman that Brigade X led by Lieutenant Colonel Soeharto immediately launch a general attack in Yogyakarta and occupy the city for six hours to prove that the Republic of Indonesia (RI) still existed.
At the age of around 32, his duties were transferred to Division Headquarters and he was appointed Commander of the 15th Infantry Regiment with the rank of lieutenant colonel (March 1, 1953). On June 3, 1956, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Commander of the IV Diponegoro Army and Territory in Semarang. From Chief of Staff, he was appointed as the acting Commander of the IV Diponegoro Army and Territory. On January 1, 1957, his rank was raised to colonel.
On October 1, 1961, his dual position as Commander of the I Caduad Army Corps (General Army Reserve) which he had held when he was 40 years old was increased by his new position as Commander of Kohanudad (Army Defense Command). In 1961, he also received an assignment as the Military Attaché of the Republic of Indonesia in Belgrade, Paris (France), and Bonn (Germany). At the age of 41, his rank was promoted to major general (January 1, 1962) and he became Commander of the West Irian Liberation Mandala Command and concurrently served as Deputy for the East Indonesia Region in Makassar. Upon his return from East Indonesia, Soeharto, who had been promoted to major general, was recalled to the ABRI headquarters by General A.H. Nasution. In mid-1962, Soeharto was appointed as Commander of the Army Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) until 1965. And in 1968 he served as the second President of the Republic of Indonesia until 1998.