BINTANG SWA BHUWANA PAKSA, OR THE AIR FORCE MERITORIOUS SERVICE STAR OF INDONESIA

The award system of Indonesia currently includes fourteen orders and thirty-three medals. The history of award system of Indonesia and its connections with Indonesian politics and state development is almost unknown. There are official documents such as laws, presidential and government decrees which help to examine the instituting of orders and decorations, and open sources including encyclopedias, newspapers, and news websites which give an information about awardees. The paper deals with the Air Force Meritorious Service Star of Indonesia – Bintang Swa Bhuwana Paksa instituted in late 1968 by then-President Suharto. He also instituted two orders for other branches of the Armed Forces of Indonesia –Bintang Jalasena, or the Navy Meritorious Service Star, and Bintang Kartika Eka Paksi, or Army Meritorious Service Star. These decorations served to praise loyal army officers who actively supported the New Order Regime of Suharto. The Air Force Meritorious Service Star is a sign of a professional position of an officer in the Indonesian Air Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara).