In Indonesia, fears grow that dark past may be rewritten with government's new history books

FILE PHOTO: Indonesia's Culture Minister, Fadli Zon speaks during an interview with Reuters at his office, in Jakarta, Indonesia, May 8, 2025. REUTERS/Zahra Matarani/File photo

JAKARTA (Reuters) -The Indonesian government's plan to release new history books has sparked concerns that some of the country's darkest chapters could be recast to show President Prabowo Subianto and late authoritarian ruler Suharto in a favourable light.

The 10-volume series would have an Indonesia-centric narrative and aims "to reinvent the Indonesian identity," Culture Minister Fadli Zon told Reuters in an interview.