Proposing the National Hero of Tidore
Public Relations of UNJ (11/6/2019) – The Municipal Government of the Archipelago Tidore City, North Maluku Province, together with Universitas Negeri Jakarta (UNJ) held an audience of proposing Sultan Zainal Abidin Syah as the National Hero. This program was held on Wednesday, 6th November 2019 at the rector’s room, Campus A UNJ. The Rector of UNJ, Dr. Komarudin, M.Si., along with his board of rectors, Vice Rectors, lecturers was delightedly welcoming the Secretariat of Tidore City, Asrul Sani, with the other officials of the government.
Dr. Komarudin, M.Si. expressed that the proposing of Sultan Zainal Abidin Syah as the National Hero will have officially been determined by 2020; however, some procedural stages of it has to start to manage this year of 2019. “We will surely accompany this matter academically including the article writing of having UNJ as the sister university of Tidore city. This is owing to the fact that this proposal has an academic content so that we will work it out in terms of academic domain.” Dr. Komarudin explained. He added that UNJ will ensure this process until the issuance of the Decree concerning National Hero Determination. UNJ and Tidore Municipal Government will set up a target of having this issue settled in 2020.
The Regional Secretariat of Tidore, Asrul Sani said that the government was very enthusiastic to propose Sultan Abidin Syah as the National Hero of Indonesia since his figure absolutely has high integrity.
Sultan Abidin Syah as the Sultan of Tidore in period of 1947-1967 had an important role in the history of taking over the West Papua then. President Soekarno announced the forming of West Irian Province on 17th August 1956 with Soa Sio Tidore as its temporary capital. The decision was made as Papua, together with its surrounding islands used to belong to the power of the Tidore Empire hundred years ago. Sultan Abidin Syah was appointed as the temporary Governor of the Province on 23rd September 1956 in Soa Sio Tidore. Next, according to the Decree of the President of Republic of Indonesia No. 220/1961, dated on 4th May 1962, he was eventually appointed as a permanent Governor of West Irian Province.
As to the cooperation with UNJ Asrul Sani asserted that the Municipal Government of Tidore needs an institutional support which has high competency for this proposal of having Sultan Abidin Syah as the National Hero. “We select an institution with high competency to put us at ease because an academic support has measurable values, “He said.