National hero proposal for Indonesia's Suharto sparks backlash in Indonesia

Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto, who is Suharto's son-in-law, has the authority to decide the final make-up of the list. -- PHOTO: AFP

JAKARTA (AFP): A proposal to include Indonesia's former military dictator Suharto on a list of national heroes sparked opposition from rights advocates who on Tuesday called the nomination a "betrayal".

Former president Suharto, who died in 2008 aged 86, ruled Indonesia with an iron fist for more than three decades after grabbing power in 1967 following a failed military coup.