RRI.CO.ID, Bengkulu - The Bengkulu Provincial Administration has officially initiated a plan to repatriate the remains of Indonesia’s inaugural First Lady, Fatmawati Soekarno, from Jakarta to her ancestral homeland. This proposal aims to honor the National Hero by interring her in the heart of the city where her historical journey began.

The Assistant for Administration and People's Welfare of the Bengkulu Provincial Secretariat, Khairil Anwar, announced the formation of a specialized study team following a high-level coordination meeting on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. "We are proposing that the grave of Ibu Fatmawati be moved to Bengkulu, her place of birth," said Khairil.

The proposed site for the relocation is the Remaja Park complex, which is slated for a massive revitalization project. Under the Administration's vision, the area will be developed into an integrated historical tourism zone.

"The Remaja Park area will become an integrated district. Beyond serving as a historical tourism destination centered around Ibu Fatmawati’s tomb, the site will also feature a mosque, a jogging track, and a hub for local MSMEs (Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises)," added Khairil, as quoted by Antara.

The provincial administration is now preparing to present this formal request to the relevant authorities, specifically the Social Affairs Ministry and the descendants of the First Lady.

Fatmawati’s connection to Bengkulu is deeply woven into the fabric of the Indonesian independence movement. She met the future President Soekarno during his exile in the province, and the couple married on June 1, 1943.

Born Fatmawati on February 5, 1923, to prominent local figures Hasan Din and Siti Chodijah, she earned her place in the national pantheon as the seamstress of the Sang Saka Merah Putih, the original flag raised during the 1945 Proclamation of Independence. Following her death in Malaysia on May 14, 1980, she was laid to rest at the Karet Bivak Public Cemetery in Central Jakarta.

While Fatmawati was posthumously named a National Hero by the 4th President, Abdurrahman Wahid, and is already honored by a prominent monument in Bengkulu, the provincial administration believes her final resting place should be among her own people. This relocation effort is viewed not just as a matter of regional pride, but as a strategic move to solidify Bengkulu’s identity as a pivotal site of Indonesian revolutionary history. ***