The Grand Meritorious Military Order Star of Indonesia – Bintang Yudha Dharma

Abstract

The first Order of independent Indonesia – Bintang Gerilya, or the Guerilla Star – was instituted in 1949, to praise those Indonesians who fought for the Independence against the Dutch. The evolution of Indonesian award system is inextricably intertwined with the developments of the Indonesian state and Indonesian Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI). In the late fifties, the Indonesian Armed Forces became more professional. They adopted the dual function of security and politics and managed to suppress rebellions throughout the Indonesian Archipelago. They needed to be granted for their heroism and service to the Government. As a result, two military orders were instituted in 1958, Bintang Sakti, or the Sacred Star, and Bintang Dharma. Later on, when Suharto established his New Order Regime (Orde Baru) and made the Armed Forces the main actor in Indonesian politics and society, he instituted several orders to buy loyalties of Indonesian top brass officers. All main branches of the Indonesian Armed Forces received their professional orders in late 1968 – Bintang Jalasena for the Navy, Bintang Kartika Eka Pakçi for the Infantry, and Bintang Swa Bhuwana Paksa for the Air Force. But three years later, in 1971, Suharto instituted a new military Order – Bintang Yudha Dharma, or the Grand Meritorious Military Order Star of Indonesia. This award has been a means to praise those military and civilian officials as well as foreign military officers who helped and facilitated the development and strengthening of the National Armed Forces of Indonesia. My paper focuses on the statute of the Order and several cases of its bestowal. The main sources are legal documents of the Indonesian Government and the mass media as well as other open sources.