By: Prabowo Subianto [taken from the Book: Military Leadership Notes from Experience Chapter I: Exemplary Leaders of The Indonesian Armed Forces] 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 realize 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.
At that time, Pak Kemal Idris was a Major, so he was very famous. 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 criticized his superiors, so much so that seniors often considered him a “naughty boy”. During his life, he often gave me advice. Every time I met him, he always shared his experiences and wisdom. 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.
LIEUTENANT GENERAL TNI (RET.) HARTONO REKSO DHARSONO
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 idolized 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, criticize Pak Harto and push Pak Harto to realize a more democratic Indonesia. He opposed an authoritarian regime and dared to criticize 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…
