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SOLO, Indonesia: Former Indonesian president Suharto was laid to rest with full military honours on Monday. He was buried in his family mausoleum in the Central Java city of Solo.
Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar was among the many foreign dignitaries present at the funeral.
"When I became foreign minister, I made introductory visits to the various ASEAN countries. When I visited Indonesia, at that time the foreign minister was Professor Ali Alatas. He accompanied me to make a courtesy call on President Suharto. We had a good discussion on how both countries could cooperate on tourism," said Prof Jayakumar.
He recalled accompanying Mr Suharto in the car when the late president visited Singapore. He found Mr Suharto to be a "very soft-spoken man".
The deputy prime minister added that for somebody who was in authority, Mr Suharto's tone and demeanour did not give the impression of authority and power.
The late president was also very enthused when the conversation turned to his favourite pastime - fishing, which is also Prof Jayakumar's hobby.
Mr Suharto had told Prof Jayakumar that he enjoyed fishing because it gave him a "tremendous sense of relaxation and calmness".
Prof Jayakumar also described Monday's funeral as a "solemn and dignified ceremony" which had a mixture of Islamic religious rites, some Javanese ceremonies as well as a component of military respect and honours.
The people of Solo came out in full force. Thousands lined the streets, hoping to catch a glimpse of the convoy carrying the body of the former president, whom many Indonesians regard as the "father of development".
At the mausoleum, dignitaries gathered to pay their respects. Besides Prof Jayakumar, his Malaysian counterpart Najip Razak and former Indonesian foreign affairs minister Ali Alatas were present as well.
Presiding over the funeral procedures was Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who paid tribute to the former president.
"We have lost one of the best people in our nation - a person who was a real and loyal fighter and a person that has been respectful to the nation," said Mr Yudhoyono.
Mr Suharto was laid beside his wife Siti Hartinah, a member of one of Solo's royal families.
The former president died of multiple organ failure on Sunday, after a long drawn-out battle with ill health.
Mr Suharto's eldest daughter spoke of forgiveness for her father's mistakes.
In the wake of his death, questions about Mr Suharto's controversial legacy linger, especially regarding a civil graft case. Some claim the Suharto clan amassed billions of state funds during his 32-year rule.
Whatever the criticisms against him may be, politicians in the region especially in ASEAN are certain that history will honour him for his significant contribution to Indonesia and the region.
Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew in his condolence letter summed it up in these words, "I have no doubt that history will accord Pak Suharto a place of honour in Indonesia's history when his life's work is studied in calm perspective." - CNA/ac
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