President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has given his approval to confer honorary titles and awards upon 18 distinguished personalities, among them being Gianni Infantino, the President of FIFA, a notable inclusion in the list.
Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs and Chairman of the Council of State Decorations (GTK), Mahfud MD, disclosed that his meeting with the 7th President of Indonesia revolved around the preparations for bestowing titles and honors.
The honorary titles to be bestowed include the prestigious Bintang Mahaputera Utama, Bintang Mahaputra Pratama, Bintang Jasa Utama, Bintang Jasa Pratama, and Bintang Budaya Parama Dharma.
“It has been decided to present honorary titles and awards to 18 individuals,” he announced during the conference held at the Presidential Complex on Wednesday, August 3, 2023.
Mahfud MD, the Chairman of GTK, elaborated on the various categories of the bestowed honors.
In the Bintang Mahaputra Utama category, the esteemed recognition will be granted to Prof. Dr. Saldi Isra, the Vice Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Indonesia for the term 2023-2028.
Ibu Sukma Violetta, a member of the Judicial Commission (KY) of Indonesia, and Prof. Joko Sasmito, a member of KY RI for the period 2021-2023, will receive the esteemed honors as well.
Furthermore, President Jokowi also endorsed the conferral of the Bintang Mahaputra Pratama honor upon the former Chief of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), Police Commissioner General (Pol) Boy Rafli Amar.
In the category of Bintang Jasa Utama, a distinguished award, five notable figures will be honored, including Sumartoyo, the Commissioner for Human Resources and Legal Advocacy KY, Makarim Wibisono, the Senior Advisor to the Minister of Environment and Forestry for International Cooperation, Anak Agung Gede Ngurah Ari Dwipayana, Special Staff to the President of RI, and Sukardi Rinakit, Special Staff to the President of RI.
Mahfud further revealed that President Jokowi has also given his approval for the prestigious Bintang Budaya Parama Dharma honor to be conferred upon two individuals, the late cultural figure Tjokorda Gede Agung Sukawati, and the cultural artist the late Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Haryo Joyokusumo.
Additionally, there is also the Bintang Jasa Pratama award, to be bestowed upon three distinguished personalities, namely, the senior diplomat Soehardjono Sastromihardjo, the esteemed environmental professor from Diponegoro University, Sudarto Prawoto Hadi, and the chief researcher for climate and atmospheric research, Edwin Aldrian.
Jokowi also extends the Bintang Budaya honor to the former Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf), Wishnutama Kusubandio, in recognition of his noteworthy contributions in the realm of arts and culture.
The honor is further bestowed upon the President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), Gianni Infantino. However, as he is a foreign national, the award will be presented in November 2023, coinciding with the U-17 2023 World Cup.
“This honor to FIFA is in recognition of his contributions to football in Indonesia,” affirmed Mahfud.
Not yet concluded with the prominent figures mentioned above, the President also confers the Bintang Republik Indonesia Adi Pradana honor upon the First Lady, Iriana Joko Widodo, and the Bintang Mahaputra Adi Perdana honor upon the Vice President’s wife, Wury Maruf Amin.
Mahfud divulged that, as per tradition, these honorary titles are bestowed upon the former First Ladies and Vice President’s wives as a token of respect and honor.
“All former First Ladies and Vice President’s wives receive the same star in accordance with statutory provisions,” Mahfud concluded, underscoring the significance of this time-honored practice.