Fatmawati, the first lady who sewed the Red and White Sang Saka Merah Putih
Jakarta, IO – Fatmawati is the Republic of Indonesia’s first lady, who was President Soekarno’s dearest companion and the first lady who sewed the Red and White flag during Indonesia’s declaration of independence by Bung Karno and Bung Hatta on August 17, 1945.
Fatmawati was not Soekarno’s first wife when she married him on June 1, 1943, at the age of 20. Sukarno had previously married Siti Oetari (1921–1923) and Inggit Ganarsih (1923–1943).
The Soekarno-Fatmawati couple were blessed with five children: Guntur Soekarnoputra, Megawati Soekarnoputri, Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, Sukmawati Soekarnoputri, and Guruh Soekarnoputra.
After Soekarno married Hartini, while he was still in a marriage with Fatmawati, Soekarno’s relationship with Fatmawati soured, as Fatmawati was notoriously opposed to polygamy. Fatmawati opted to leave the State Palace after Sukarno requested permission to wed Hartini on July 7, 1953.
“Before the birth of Mohammad Guruh in 1953, the President’s family was happy and harmonious,” as written in the book “Fatmawati: Catatan Kecil Bersama Bung Karno, Bagian 1,” published in 1978.
During her time at the State Palace, she separated herself from the family bedroom in the Merdeka Palace’s main building and went to the pavilion located near Baitul Rachim Mosque. When Fatmawati was about to depart the palace, she went to meet Soekarno to bid farewell and went back to her residence on Sriwijaya Street, Kebayoran Baru, when Soekarno refused to let her go.
“This is your home,” said Soekarno. “It is no longer mine; our circumstances have changed,” replied Fatmawati. There was neither commotion nor conflict. “In the name of Allah, Bismillah, I left the palace feeling calm and headed for Kebayoran Baru,” explained Fatmawati in the book. The palace’s attendants were left speechless.
Fatmawati never visited Soekarno during his illness, and she even missed his funeral on June 21, 1970, in Blitar, which was confirmed by Guruh’s statement in an interview with Tabloid NOVA, as cited by Tribun Jatim.
“On a Sunday morning, at around 5 a.m., my mother woke me up and asked me to come to her room. There were only my mother and me living in the Sriwijaya house,” said Guruh in the interview with Nova.
“Mbak Rahma and Mbak Sukma rented a house in Wijaya Street, South Jakarta, while Mas Guntur lived in Bandung. Mbak Mega joined her husband in Madiun, East Java. She (Fatmawati) carefully informed us that father was critical. I remember mother was showing a deep sad face,” Guruh remembered.
Fatmawati had always told her children not to show sorrow, even in their saddest moments. “I believe she knew that father was dying then,” he added. “I was shocked, as I remember visiting him in the hospital, and he was still able to read the newspapers. Mother never came with us to the hospital. They seemed to have an agreement, while mother seemed to avoid meeting the rest of his wives,” said Guruh.
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Guruh and his siblings were present at the hospital when Soekarno lost consciousness and finally departed, while Fatmawati remained in her Sriwijaya house.
Fatmawati, the first lady of Soekarno, passed away on May 14, 1980, in Kuala Lumpur at the age of 57. She died of a heart attack on her return from Mecca after performing her Umrah. She rests in Karet Bivak Cemetery, Jakarta.