There is an adage that says a true teacher should be proud to see his disciple surpass him. A true teacher will ensure that his students and his men are more successful than him. A true teacher will not hesitate to guide his students to realise their full potential and reach the highest rank in the interests of the nation and country.
LIEUTENANT GENERAL TNI (RET.) KEMAL IDRIS
I was 17 years old when I returned to Indonesia from Europe. Back then, Pak Kemal Idris was already a very famous TNI figure. At that time, he was known as one of the key figures of the New Order (Orde Baru) regime at the beginning of President Suharto’s administration. Pak Kemal Idris was also a friend of my uncle Subianto, who died in the Battle of Lengkong. When I met him, Pak Kemal Idris told me: ‘I am your uncle’s best friend. Your uncle was a very brave man. If your uncle were still alive today, I’m sure he would be the Chief of Army Reserve Command (Pangkostrad). You should follow in your uncle’s footsteps, Subianto. He was a hero.’ I remembered his words. After I learned more about Pak Kemal Idris’ life history, I understood he was a very patriotic, brave, straight, and open person. Kemal Idris’ battalion was the first TNI battalion to enter the capital after the Dutch ceded sovereignty to Indonesia.
Pak Kemal Idris had already been a very famous TNI figure back then. He was known as one of the key figures of the New Order (Orde Baru) regime at the beginning of President Suharto’s administration. Pak Kemal Idris, along with Lieutenant General TNI H.R. Dharsono, Major General TNI Surono, and Infantry Colonel Sarwo Edi Wibowo, were key figures who supported Pak Harto in the years after the G30S/PKI until Pak Harto was inaugurated as the second President of the Republic of Indonesia. Major General TNI Surono later became the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army and subsequently the Deputy Commander in Chief of Indonesian Armed Forces, and retired as General.
My father often mentioned Pak Kemal Idris. I also often heard stories about him from my grandfather. Pak Kemal Idris was a close friend of my uncle Subianto Djojohadikusumo who died in the Battle of Lengkong with Major Daan Mogot and the cadets from Tangerang Military Academy on January 25, 1946. When I met Pak Kemal Idris, he said, ‘I am your uncle’s best friend. Your uncle was a very brave man. If your uncle were still alive, I’m sure he would be the Chief of Army Strategic Reserves Command (Pangkostrad). You should follow in your uncle’s footsteps. Subianto was a hero.’ I still remember his words vividly to this day. After I learned more about the life story of Pak Kemal Idris, I learned that he was a very patriotic, brave and very straightforward and open person. Pak Kemal Idris’ Battalion was the first TNI battalion to enter the capital after the Dutch ceded sovereignty to Indonesia.
At that time, Pak Kemal Idris was a Major, so he was very famous. At that time, it was a tradition for the TNI battalion to be named after illustrious commanders. So there was the Kemal Idris Battalion, the Ahmad Yani Battalion, the Poniman Battalion, etc. On October 17, 1952, the Kemal Idris Battalion was involved in besieging the Istana. Pak Kemal Idris was a brave, very pro-people and staunch nationalist. He loathed corruption so much that he even boldly criticised his superiors, so much so that seniors often considered him a “naughty boy”. I’ve even heard Pak Harto once mention Pak Kemal Idris’ name with a smile while laughing, ‘Yes, Kemal, yes… Stubborn Kemal.’ But his seniors were always forgiving and always protected him because he was a very brave man and capable of leading his troops against the Dutch. Kemal Idris fought the rebels during the 1950s and 1965. After the 1965 G30S/PKI rebellion, he became Pak Harto’s trusted confidant in the Army Strategic Reserves Command (KOSTRAD) as its Deputy Chief of Staff. After Pak Harto was promoted, Pak Kemal Idris replaced Pak Harto as Pangkostrad. The qualities of Pak Kemal Idris that I remember and admire are his open and welcoming, and humorous attitude. He was always honest and siding with underprivileged people. But Pak Kemal Idris had shortcomings too. He was an emotional person and often made hasty decisions and conclusions before having a firm grasp of the situation. Sometimes, this trait landed him into real trouble. During his life, he often gave me advice. Every time I met him, he always shared his experiences and wisdom. I gained a lot of leadership insight from him. A few hours before his passing, his ADC told me that he was very ill, and I visited him at Abdi Waluyo Hospital in Menteng, Jakarta. On his deathbed, he whispered to me, ‘Prabowo, keep on fighting.’ His last words to me, ‘Take care of this Republic, thank you.’ I saluted him, and in an instant, tears started to stream down my face. It was an emotionally charged moment. At that time, I had been discharged as Pangkostrad. I could feel the vibrations of his soul as he experienced the last moments of his life.
LIEUTENANT GENERAL TNI (RET.) HARTONO REKSO DHARSONO
During the New Order, Pak Ton was one of Pak Harto’s most powerful confidants. He dared to correct Pak Harto, criticise and push him to democratise Indonesia. He opposed an authoritarian regime and dared to criticise his seniors and his compatriots. He was very popular with the people, students, and soldiers. He often wore a Kujang beret. He emerged as a heroic idol figure. He was idolised by the West Java youths and the youth grassroots movement of the capital Jakarta. Lieutenant General TNI (Ret.) H. R. Dharsono was known to those close to him by his nickname Pak Ton. Pak Ton and Pak Kemal Idris were very close to my family, especially to my parents. Pak Ton was also a friend of my uncle Pak Subianto and my father, Pak Soemitro. He served as the Defence Attaché in London. He also had a brilliant career in the TNI. He was a prominent figure in Kodam Siliwangi, then known as Siliwangi Division. In the operations to suppress the PRRI/Permesta and DI/TII rebellion, Hartono Dharsono stood out as a battalion commander. When the G30S/ PKI rebellion occurred, he was the Chief of Staff of Kodam Siliwangi. He eventually replaced Major General Ibrahim Adjie, then became the Commander of Kodam Siliwangi from 1966 to 1969. At that time, he managed to strengthen the unity between TNI and the people. He was very popular with the people, with students and with soldiers. He often wore a Kujang beret. He was idolised as a heroic figure, especially by West Java youths and the youth grassroots movement of the capital city Jakarta.
During the New Order era, he was one of Pak Harto’s most powerful supporters. He dared to correct Pak Harto, criticise Pak Harto and push Pak Harto to realise a more democratic Indonesia. He opposed an authoritarian regime and dared to criticise his seniors and his compatriots. As a result, he was accused of supporting acts of terror and was briefly sent to prison. At that time, I was still a junior officer. I was concerned because I knew he was vilified and framed probably by groups in the Army who didn’t like him. When he was in prison, I was still a Second Lieutenant. When I enrolled in a branch-specific basic training course in Bandung, I visited him and met his family. Then when I was Captain, I became the Deputy Commander of Detachment 81. At that time, I was in charge of constructing Detachment 81 headquarters in Jakarta and selecting the contractor and subcontractor. I learned that some young individuals of Bandung established a furniture company and signed up as an interior subcontractor for the base. I had no hesitation in appointing the company. Then I was reprimanded by one of my superior officers, who said, ‘Among the ITB students who established the…
