Why Indonesia’s hero status for ‘successful autocrat’ Suharto splits opinion
Indonesia’s move to name Suharto a national hero has revived debate over the country’s uneasy relationship with authoritarianism and whether the legacy of a brutal yet transformative ruler should be celebrated. President Prabowo Subianto, Suharto’s former son-in-law, conferred the honour on Monday, drawing sharp criticism from historians, academics and human rights organisations, who argue the move sanitises one of Southeast Asia’s most repressive regimes. But the muted public reaction also...