Who was Soeharto, the late leader named Indonesia's national hero'?

"Backed by the United States during the Cold War, Soeharto used the military to dominate civilian affairs and crush dissent. He was also accused of massive corruption and nepotism benefiting his family and cronies, although no charge was proven and he never went on trial due to his failing health. So who was Soeharto, who ruled Indonesia for 32 years? And what's behind President Prabowo's decision to honour the late general?"

"He was a military officer who became president in 1967 after seizing power from the country's first president and independence leader, Sukarno. He launched a brutal crackdown to purge alleged communists, killing more than half a million Indonesians. The crackdown came after Soeharto accused the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI) of a coup attempt following the kidnapping and killing of six military officers in 1965. It has never been officially investigated."

President Prabowo Subianto posthumously named Muhammad Soeharto a national hero, prompting protests from pro-democracy activists and families of victims. Soeharto ruled Indonesia for 32 years after seizing power from Sukarno in 1967 and led a brutal anti-communist purge that killed more than half a million people. His regime invaded and occupied East Timor in 1975, with hundreds of thousands killed. The United States backed Soeharto during the Cold War while he used the military to dominate civilian affairs and crush dissent. Soeharto and his family were long accused of massive corruption and nepotism, and he never faced trial due to failing health.

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