Marsinah Museum Inaugurated: What Does Prabowo Say About Her Killing?

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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said the killing of labor activist Marsinah 33 years ago should never have happened. Prabowo voiced his opinion while inaugurating the Marsinah Museum and Resting House, dedicated to the woman who was killed and tortured in 1993.

"The tragic event of Marsinah being brutally murdered for advocating for the factory workers should never have happened," Prabowo said at the museum site in Nganjuk, East Java, on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

According to him, Indonesia is a country founded on the philosophical principles of Pancasila, with its fifth principle underlining social justice. "The wealthy should assist the poor, the strong should support the weak. It's about kinship," Prabowo said.

Thus, in principle, the murder of Marsinah was "unnecessary" if the nation's foundation is internalized.

Referring to Marsinah as a symbol of the struggle of the powerless, the former Defense Minister said her killing must be rectified.

"[Her] struggle signifies the fight of those who are weaker, the poor, the powerless," Prabowo said.

Prabowo said he was honored for the chance to declare Marsinah a national hero, while launching the Marsinah Museum in Nganjuk. The president said labor communities previously asked for Marsinah to be recognized as a national hero.

Marsinah was a labor activist who was killed for advocating for the rights of workers at PT CPS Sidoarjo, East Java.

Born on April 10, 1969, in Nganjuk, East Java, she worked as a laborer at PT Catur Surya Putra (CPS), a watch factory in Sidoarjo. Marsinah actively led demonstrations to demand wage hikes and improved working conditions.

On May 9, 1993, Marsinah was found dead in a forest in Dusun Jegong, Wilangan District, Nganjuk, East Java. Her murder, a grave violation of human rights, remains unsolved to this day.

Marsinah was believed to have been tortured and abducted before being killed due to her steadfast leadership in advocating for wage increases for laborers at her workplace.

On May 3, 1993, Marsinah led a demonstration at her workplace. As a result of the protest, management of PT CPS summoned 13 workers who were considered the instigators of the strike, with the assistance of the military.

On May 5, 1993, these 13 workers were interrogated, threatened, and forced to write resignation letters. Upon learning about the intimidation of her colleagues, Marsinah visited the Sidoarjo District Military Command to seek information and protest. She went missing that night.

Marsinah was allegedly brutally tortured and abused to death. Her body was found on May 8, 1993, in a shack in the middle of the forest in Dusun Jegong, Wilangan Village, showing signs of severe torture.

In 2025, 32 years after her death, President Prabowo declared Marsinah a national hero. However, State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi stated that the designation of Marsinah as a national hero is not related to a reopening of the investigation into the murder of the labor activist.