Soekiman Wirjosandjojo
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Soekiman Wirjosandjojo ( EYD: Sukiman Wiryosanjoyo; 19June 1898 – 23July 1974) was an Indonesian politician and physician who served as
prime minister of Indonesia The Prime Minister of the Republic of Indonesia () was a political office in Indonesia which existed from 1945 until 1966. During this period, the prime minister was in charge of the cabinet of Indonesia, one of the three branches of government ...
from 1951 until 1952. Additionally, Soekiman served as the first president of the
Masyumi Party The Council of Indonesian Muslim Associations Party (), better known as the Masyumi Party, was a major Islamic political party in Indonesia during the Liberal Democracy Era in Indonesia (1950-1957), Liberal Democracy Era in Indonesia. It was b ...
from 1945 to 1951. Born into a merchant family in
Surakarta Surakarta (Javanese script, Javanese: , Pegon script, Pegon: ), known colloquially as Solo (Javanese script, Javanese: ; ), is a major List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city in Central Java, Indonesia. The city adjoins Karanganyar Reg ...
, Soekiman was educated as a physician at Batavia's
STOVIA The ("school for the training of native physicians") or STOVIA was a medicine school in Batavia, now Indonesia's capital Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DK ...
medical school and
Amsterdam University The University of Amsterdam (abbreviated as UvA, ) is a public research university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Established in 1632 by municipal authorities, it is the fourth-oldest academic institution in the Netherlands still in operati ...
. Having served as chairman of the '' Perhimpoenan Indonesia'' association while in the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
, he returned to Java and began participating in politics while working as a doctor. He was active within the Islamic political organization
Sarekat Islam Sarekat Islam or Syarikat Islam ( 'Islamic Association' or 'Islamic Union'; SI) was an Indonesian socio-political organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century during the Dutch colonial era. Initially, SI served as a cooperative of ...
, later the
Indonesian Islamic Union Party Indonesian Islamic Union Party () was an Islamic political party in Indonesia before and after independence. In 1973 it was merged into the United Development Party. The pre-independence party Establishment and aims The Sarekat Islam (Islamic A ...
, from which he was expelled in 1933 due to a dispute. He then co-founded the Indonesian Islamic Political Party (Partii), which in 1938 became the
Indonesian Islamic Party The Indonesian Islamic Party (, PII) was an Islamic political party in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). Formed by dissenting members of the Indonesian Islamic Union Party (PSII) in 1938, the party was dissolved by the occupying Japanese ...
. (PII). During the
Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies The Empire of Japan occupied the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) during World War II from March 1942 until after the end of the war in September 1945. In May 1940, Germany German invasion of the Netherlands, occupied the Netherlands, and ma ...
, he was active within the Pusat Tenaga Rakyat propaganda organization, and in 1945 was appointed a member of the
Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence The Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence (, abbreviated as BPUPK; , Hepburn: , Nihon-shiki / Kunrei-shiki: ), sometimes referred to, but better known locally, as the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Indo ...
. When
Masyumi The Council of Indonesian Muslim Associations Party (), better known as the Masyumi Party, was a major Islamic political party in Indonesia during the Liberal Democracy Era in Indonesia. It was banned in 1960 by President Sukarno for supporti ...
was formed as a political party in November 1945, Soekiman was elected its first chairman. He acted as opposition to various government cabinets during the
Indonesian National Revolution The Indonesian National Revolution (), also known as the Indonesian War of Independence (, ), was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch Empire and an internal social revolution during A ...
, namely those of Prime Ministers
Sutan Sjahrir Sutan Sjahrir (5 March 1909 – 9 April 1966) was an Indonesian statesman and independence leader who served as the first Prime Minister of Indonesia, prime minister of Indonesia from 1945 until 1947. He played a key role during the Indonesian Na ...
and
Amir Sjarifuddin Amir Sjarifuddin Harahap ( EVO: Amir Sjarifoeddin Harahap; 27 April 1907 â€“ 19 December 1948) was an Indonesian politician and journalist who served as the second prime minister of Indonesia from 1947 until 1948. A major leader of the lef ...
, although he agreed to work with them following the Dutch military offensive of 1947. He was later appointed as
Minister of Home Affairs An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and identification, emergency ...
under
Mohammad Hatta Mohammad Hatta ( ; 12 August 1902 – 14 March 1980) was an Indonesian statesman, nationalist, and independence activist who served as the country's first Vice President of Indonesia, vice president as well as the third prime minister. Known as ...
's cabinet and became part of the Indonesian delegation in the Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference. In independent Indonesia, Soekiman was first replaced as Masyumi's chairman by
Mohammad Natsir Mohammad Natsir (17 July 19086 February 1993) was an Islamic scholar and politician. He was Indonesia's fifth List of Prime Ministers of Indonesia, prime minister. After moving to Bandung from his hometown Solok, West Sumatra for senior high sch ...
, and in turn, he replaced Natsir as prime minister in April 1951 by forming a coalition with the
Indonesian National Party The Indonesian National Party (, PNI) was the name used by several nationalist political parties in Indonesia from 1927 until 1973. The first PNI was established by future President Sukarno. After independence, the new PNI supplied a number of pri ...
, creating the Soekiman Cabinet. As prime minister, Soekiman nationalized
Bank Indonesia Bank Indonesia (BI) is the central bank of the Republic of Indonesia. It replaced in 1953 the Bank of Java (, DJB), which had been created in 1828 to serve the financial needs of the Dutch East Indies. History Bank of Java King William ...
and initiated a holiday bonus program for civil servants. He also arrested thousands of individuals due to a suspected coup attempt, particularly members of the
Indonesian Communist Party The Communist Party of Indonesia ( Indonesian: ''Partai Komunis Indonesia'', PKI) was a communist party in the Dutch East Indies and later Indonesia. It was the largest non-ruling communist party in the world before its violent disbandment in ...
. In foreign policy, Soekiman's tenure saw an improvement in relations with the
Western Bloc The Western Bloc, also known as the Capitalist Bloc, the Freedom Bloc, the Free Bloc, and the American Bloc, was an unofficial coalition of countries that were officially allied with the United States during the Cold War (1947–1991). While ...
and especially with the United States. However, there remained an internal dispute within Masyumi between Soekiman and Natsir, and this coupled with secretive negotiations between foreign minister
Achmad Soebardjo Achmad Soebardjo Djojoadisoerjo (23 March 1896 – 15 December 1978) was a diplomat, an Indonesian national hero, and the first foreign minister of Indonesia. Early life Achmad Soebardjo was born in Teluk Jambe, Karawang Regency, West Java, on ...
and United States ambassador H. Merle Cochran led to the collapse of Soekiman's cabinet. He remained active within Masyumi after his premiership, until he departed from politics following the involvement of Masyumi leaders in the
Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia The Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia (, PRRI) was a revolutionary government set up in Sumatra to oppose the central government of Indonesia in 1958. Although frequently referred to as the PRRI/Permesta rebellion, the Perm ...
and the advent of
Guided Democracy Guided democracy, also called directed democracy and managed democracy, is a formally democratic government that functions as a ''de facto'' authoritarian government or, in some cases, as an autocratic government. Such hybrid regimes are legit ...
. He died in
Yogyakarta Yogyakarta is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by Hamengkubuwono, a monarchy, Yogyakarta is regarded as an importan ...
in 1974.


Early life

Soekiman was born in Sewu, today in
Surakarta Surakarta (Javanese script, Javanese: , Pegon script, Pegon: ), known colloquially as Solo (Javanese script, Javanese: ; ), is a major List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city in Central Java, Indonesia. The city adjoins Karanganyar Reg ...
, on 19June 1898. He was the youngest of four children. Soekiman's father, Wirjosandjojo, was a rice merchant. Wirjosandjojo had a business relationship with a Dutch armed forces veteran, and through his help Soekiman could enroll at a ''
Europeesche Lagere School Europeesche Lagere School (ELS) was a European elementary school system in what was then the Dutch East Indies during colonial rule. The schools were intended primarily for Europeans. The implementation of basic education at that time was diffe ...
'' (ELS) in
Boyolali Boyolali () is a regency () in the eastern part of Central Java province in Indonesia. It covers an area of 1,096.61 km2, and had a population of 930,531 at the 2010 censusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 1,062,713 at the 2020 census; ...
, normally reserved for Europeans and native nobility. After completing ELS and later he continued his education at the medical school
STOVIA The ("school for the training of native physicians") or STOVIA was a medicine school in Batavia, now Indonesia's capital Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DK ...
in Batavia. During his time at STOVIA, Soekiman had been active within
Jong Java , was a Dutch East Indies youth organization founded on March 7, 1915, by at the STOVIA building under the name Tri Koro Dharmo ('Three Noble Goals'). It was founded in response to the perceived elitism of the Budi Utomo movement by many young p ...
, which was founded by his older brother . Graduating from STOVIA in 1923, he considered working for the colonial train company, but his father convinced him to continue his medical school at
Amsterdam University The University of Amsterdam (abbreviated as UvA, ) is a public research university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Established in 1632 by municipal authorities, it is the fourth-oldest academic institution in the Netherlands still in operati ...
and provided financial support. Also in 1923, Soekiman married Kustami, and the two had a son before Soekiman departed for the Netherlands. In Amsterdam, he studied
internal medicine Internal medicine, also known as general medicine in Commonwealth nations, is a medical specialty for medical doctors focused on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases in adults. Its namesake stems from "treatment of diseases of ...
. He was active in the Indonesian students' organization ''Indonesische Vereniging'' during his foreign studies, serving as the organization's chairman between 1924 and 1925. Under Soekiman, the ''Vereniging'' translated its official name to ''Perhimpoenan Indonesia'', and also renamed its magazine from ''Hindia Poetra'' ("Son of the Indies") to ''Indonesia Merdeka'' ("Independent Indonesia").


Early career

Returning from the Netherlands, Soekiman moved to
Yogyakarta Yogyakarta is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by Hamengkubuwono, a monarchy, Yogyakarta is regarded as an importan ...
and initially worked in a hospital run by
Muhammadiyah Muhammadiyah (), officially Muhammadiyah Society () is a major Islamic non-governmental organization in Indonesia.A. Jalil HamidTackle the rising cost of living longer New Straits Times, 30 October 2016. Accessed 1 November 2016. The organization ...
. After two years, he left the hospital and opened a private practice in Bintaran. He was known for his skills in treating lung illnesses and would often give discounts or free treatments for poorer patients. In 1927, Soekiman joined the ''Partai Sarekat Islam'' (PSI). Along with
Sukarno Sukarno (6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970) was an Indonesian statesman, orator, revolutionary, and nationalist who was the first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967. Sukarno was the leader of the Indonesian struggle for independenc ...
, Soekiman co-founded the Association of Political Organisations of the Indonesian People (PPPKI) in an attempt to unite and coordinate the various Indonesian nationalistic political parties and organizations. However, tensions quickly emerged between PSI and other PPPKI members, as PSI was seen as putting Islam above Indonesian nationalism to the point where many PPPKI members called for PSI to be expelled from the organization, despite PSI's renaming to '' Partai Sarekat Islam Indonesia'' (PSII) in January 1930. In response to the calls, Soekiman called PPPKI an "imperialistic" organization at PSII's 1931 congress. Despite the public disagreements, Soekiman maintained a good personal relationship with secular nationalistic figures such as
Mohammad Hatta Mohammad Hatta ( ; 12 August 1902 – 14 March 1980) was an Indonesian statesman, nationalist, and independence activist who served as the country's first Vice President of Indonesia, vice president as well as the third prime minister. Known as ...
. When Soekiman launched the nationalist ''Utusan Indonesia'' newspaper in 1932, he asked Hatta to become its chief editor. Soekiman attempted to defend the rights of around 900 PSII members laid off by a colonial government-owned pawnbroking network and succeeded in lobbying for severance pay and secured priority for the employees to be rehired. However, he did not consult PSII's senior leaders such as H.O.S. Tjokroaminoto and
Agus Salim ''Haji'' Agus Salim (; 8 October 1884 – 4 November 1954) was an Indonesian journalist, diplomat, and statesman. He served as Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1947 and 1949. Early life Agus Salim was born Masjhoedoelhaq Salim ...
before his efforts. This was used as the reason for his expulsion from the party in March 1933. Soekiman had longstanding disagreements with PSII's noncooperative stance with the colonial government, and after he was expelled he formed the ''Partij Politiek Islam Indonesia'' (PARTII) with Muhammadiyah's support. PARTII failed to garner popular support, however, and was disbanded before long. Following Tjokroaminoto's death, Soekiman briefly rejoined PSII in 1937, before leaving in 1938 and founding another political party, the Indonesian Islamic Party (PII). He took part in the founding of ''Majelis Islam A'la Indonesia'' (Indonesian Islamic Assembly, MIAI) which was intended to serve as a federation of various Islamic organizations. Along with his brother Satiman, Soekiman also initiated the formation of an Islamic higher education institute, establishing several pilot projects in 1939 and 1940 before the
Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies campaign of 1941–1942 was the conquest of the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia) by forces of the Empire of Japan in the early days of the Pacific campaign of World War II. Allied forces attempted unsuccessfully t ...
interrupted their growth.


Japanese occupation

Early on in the occupation, Soekiman became inactive in politics due to a ban on various political organizations including MIAI. Once MIAI was allowed to operate again in September 1942, Soekiman became one of its leaders along with
Harsono Tjokroaminoto Harsono Tjokroaminoto (born 24 April 1912, in Madiun– 22 April 1992) was an Indonesian political figure leaning non-cooperative with the Netherlands. Harsono is Minister of State for Administrative Improvement and Cleaning in Indonesia. In the D ...
and , until it was once again shut down in late 1943. Aside from MIAI, he was also active within the propaganda organization ''Pusat Tenaga Rakyat'' as an appointed member. Soekiman was later also listed as a member of the
Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence The Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence (, abbreviated as BPUPK; , Hepburn: , Nihon-shiki / Kunrei-shiki: ), sometimes referred to, but better known locally, as the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Indo ...
(BPUPK). After the committee had drafted the Jakarta Charter, Soekiman supported
Wahid Hasyim Abdul Wahid Hasyim (1 June 1914 – 19 April 1953) was the first Minister of Religious Affairs in the government of President Sukarno of Indonesia, a post he held in 1945, and from 1949 to 1952. He was the son of Nahdlatul Ulama founder Hasyim ...
's proposal to formally establish Islam as a state religion, and require that any future elected presidents and vice presidents be Muslim. Initially, other committee members from nationalist and secular parties agreed to Hasyim's proposal. However, before the proposal could be formalized, the Japanese reformed BPUPK into the smaller
Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence The Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (, abbreviated as PPKI; , Hepburn romanization, Hepburn: ) was a body established on 7 August 1945 to prepare for the transfer of authority from the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indie ...
(PPKI). Soekiman did not become a member of this committee, and PPKI members cancelled Hasyim's proposal, allowing non-Muslims to serve as president and establishing Indonesia's lack of a formal state religion. Beyond this matter, Soekiman also discussed the legal structures of the future
People's Consultative Assembly The People's Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia (, MPR-RI) is the legislative branch in Indonesia's political system. It is composed of the members of a lower body, House of Representatives (DPR) and an upper body, Regional R ...
and the legal rights of citizens within the
Constitution of Indonesia The 1945 Constitution of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (, commonly abbreviated as ''UUD 1945'' or ''UUD '45'') is the supreme law and basis for all laws of Indonesia. The constitution was written in June–August 1945, in the ...
.


Indonesian revolution

Following the
proclamation of Indonesian independence The Proclamation of Indonesian Independence (, or simply ''Proklamasi'') was read at 10:00 Tokyo Standard Time on Friday 17 August 1945 in Jakarta. The declaration marked the start of the diplomatic and armed resistance of the Indonesian Nati ...
on 17August 1945, Soekiman 22August was appointed as one of the members of the leadership committee of the
Indonesian National Party The Indonesian National Party (, PNI) was the name used by several nationalist political parties in Indonesia from 1927 until 1973. The first PNI was established by future President Sukarno. After independence, the new PNI supplied a number of pri ...
(PNI), at that time the only permitted political party under the new government. This was not to last, as on 3November the government issued a declaration calling for the formation of other political parties. Just days later, the Indonesian Muslim Congress was held in
Yogyakarta Yogyakarta is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by Hamengkubuwono, a monarchy, Yogyakarta is regarded as an importan ...
on 7November, and the
Masyumi Party The Council of Indonesian Muslim Associations Party (), better known as the Masyumi Party, was a major Islamic political party in Indonesia during the Liberal Democracy Era in Indonesia (1950-1957), Liberal Democracy Era in Indonesia. It was b ...
was founded with Soekiman elected its first chairman. Aside from Soekiman, former members of PII dominated Masyumi's first leadership committee. Despite this, however, Soekiman in a speech concluding the congress lambasted the government's decision to allow the formation of more political parties, claiming that such a move would divide the nation. Soekiman was opposed to the formation of
Sutan Sjahrir Sutan Sjahrir (5 March 1909 – 9 April 1966) was an Indonesian statesman and independence leader who served as the first Prime Minister of Indonesia, prime minister of Indonesia from 1945 until 1947. He played a key role during the Indonesian Na ...
's first cabinet, which he considered to be a constitutional violation. Masyumi had declared in its founding congress that it was opposed to the emerging
parliamentary system A parliamentary system, or parliamentary democracy, is a form of government where the head of government (chief executive) derives their Election, democratic legitimacy from their ability to command the support ("confidence") of a majority of t ...
of government, as the constitution approved less than a year prior had mandated a
presidential system A presidential, strong-president, or single-executive system (sometimes also congressional system) is a form of government in which a head of government (usually titled " president") heads an executive branch that derives its authority and l ...
for Indonesia. Along with
Tan Malaka Ibrahim Simabua Datuak (posthumous) Sutan Malaka also known as Tan Malaka (2 June 1897 – 21 February 1949) was an Indonesian statesman, teacher, Marxism, Marxist, Philosophy, philosopher, founder of Struggle Union (Persatuan Perjuangan) and Murb ...
's ''Persatuan Perjuangan'' (PP) organization, Masyumi placed itself in opposition to Sjahrir's government until March 1946, when several PP members were arrested. Following the arrests, Masyumi's hostility to the government softened. Soekiman still criticized the formation of the
Second Sjahrir Cabinet The Second Sjahrir Cabinet () was the third Indonesian cabinet and the second formed by Sutan Sjahrir. It served from March to October 1946. Background The first Sjahrir cabinet had been forced to resign by Tan Malaka and his opposition Strug ...
in February 1946, despite having been involved in determining its composition. On 3July 1946, Soekiman visited the presidential palace, apparently believing that President
Sukarno Sukarno (6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970) was an Indonesian statesman, orator, revolutionary, and nationalist who was the first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967. Sukarno was the leader of the Indonesian struggle for independenc ...
was to make an announcement. Once he spoke with Vice President
Mohammad Hatta Mohammad Hatta ( ; 12 August 1902 – 14 March 1980) was an Indonesian statesman, nationalist, and independence activist who served as the country's first Vice President of Indonesia, vice president as well as the third prime minister. Known as ...
, however, he was informed that there was an attempted coup against Sjahrir's cabinet by
Mohammad Yamin Muhammad Yamin (24 August 1903 – 17 October 1962) was an Indonesian poet, politician, historian and national hero who played a key role in the writing of the draft preamble to the 1945 constitution. Early life and education Yamin was born ...
and several military officers. Upon learning of the fact, he left the palace immediately, with the coup failing and its plotters arrested. Increased Dutch military activity starting from the end of 1946 forced Sjahrir into the negotiating table, and the
Linggadjati Agreement The Linggadjati Agreement (''Linggajati'' in modern Indonesian spelling) was a political accord concluded on 15 November 1946 by the Dutch administration and the unilaterally declared Republic of Indonesia in the village of Linggajati, Kuningan ...
was signed on 15November 1946. Soekiman's Masyumi opposed the agreement, seeing it as too accommodating to Dutch demands, to the point where Soekiman declared his intention to overthrow Sjahrir's government by force. After the collapse of Sjahrir's third cabinet on 27June 1947, Soekiman was appointed by Sukarno as one of four
formateur A formateur (French for "someone who forms, who constitutes") is a politician who is appointed to lead the formation of a coalition government, after either a general election or the collapse of a previous government. The role of the formateur i ...
s (along with
Amir Sjarifuddin Amir Sjarifuddin Harahap ( EVO: Amir Sjarifoeddin Harahap; 27 April 1907 â€“ 19 December 1948) was an Indonesian politician and journalist who served as the second prime minister of Indonesia from 1947 until 1948. A major leader of the lef ...
,
Adnan Kapau Gani Major general TNI ( Tit.) Dr. Adnan Kapau Gani or commonly abbreviated as A.K. Gani (16 September 1905 – 23 December 1968) was an Indonesian doctor, politician, actor and military figure. He served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet o ...
, and ) to form a new government. Soekiman, believing that Masyumi had significant popular backing, demanded several important posts be held by Masyumi members. The other three formateurs rejected his demands, and Sukarno decided to revoke Soekiman's mandate as formateur. The remaining three formateurs organized the
First Amir Sjarifuddin Cabinet The First Amir Sjarifuddin Cabinet () was the fifth Indonesian cabinet and was in office from 3 July to 11 November 1947. Background Following the resignation of the Third Sjahrir Cabinet on 27 June 1947, President Sukarno called a meeting with t ...
. Sjarifuddin was generally hostile towards Masyumi, and thus he appointed ministers such as Wondoamiseno and
Arudji Kartawinata Arudji Kartawinata (5 May 1905 – 13 July 1970) was an Indonesian politician and military officer. During the Indonesian National Revolution, he was the first commander of the 3rd Division, predecessor to the modern Siliwangi Division. Political ...
originating from the Masyumi splinter party PSII. The hostility between Sjarifuddin and Soekiman continued until the Dutch
Operation Product Operation Product was a Dutch military offensive against areas of Java and Sumatra controlled by the de facto Republic of Indonesia during the Indonesian National Revolution.Vickers (2005), p. 99 It took place between 21 July and 4 August 1947. ...
in July 1947, which forced both parties to compromise and Sjarifuddin agreed to appoint several Masyumi members into his cabinet. Regardless, his cabinet collapsed following Masyumi's loss of support later on following the
Renville Agreement The Renville Agreement was a United Nations Security Council-brokered political accord between the Netherlands, which was seeking to re-establish its colony in Southeast Asia, and Indonesian Republicans seeking Indonesian independence during the ...
, and Soekiman was appointed Interior Minister within the succeeding
First Hatta Cabinet The First Hatta Cabinet () was Indonesia's seventh cabinet. It was formed by Vice President Mohammad Hatta, who was instructed to do so by President Sukarno on 23 January 1948, the same day the previous cabinet was declared dissolved. Following ...
. Soekiman's appointment was well-received by Islamic organizations, and the Dutch even mistook Soekiman as the leader of the emerging Darul Islam movement. Soekiman later took part in the Indonesian delegation for the negotiations regarding the transfer of sovereignty in 1949.


Premiership


Cabinet formation

Soekiman led Masyumi until 1949 when
Mohammad Natsir Mohammad Natsir (17 July 19086 February 1993) was an Islamic scholar and politician. He was Indonesia's fifth List of Prime Ministers of Indonesia, prime minister. After moving to Bandung from his hometown Solok, West Sumatra for senior high sch ...
was appointed chair of the party's executive committee to replace him. Soekiman held on to the position of party chairman, however, until he was demoted to deputy chairman in 1951. When Natsir became prime minister in 1950, Soekiman became a critic of his cabinet, judging that it was formed with too much pressure from the
Indonesian Army The Indonesian Army ( (TNI-AD), ) is the army, land branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It has an estimated strength of 300,400 active personnel. The history of the Indonesian Army has its roots in 1945 when the (TKR) "People's Se ...
. Soekiman also disagreed with Natsir's decision to exclude the PNI from the government, which he believed would result in the government becoming vulnerable. Natsir's cabinet indeed faced such instability in early 1951 due to pressure both from the PNI-led opposition and from Soekiman's supporters within the party. Natsir attempted to form a compromise with PNI, but the cabinet collapsed on 21March 1951 when one of its coalition members the
Great Indonesia Party Parindra (, Parindra) was the name used by two Indonesian political parties. Pre-war party Establishment and early years The first Parindra was established at a congress in Solo from 24-26 December 1935 as a result of a merger between the Budi ...
withdrew from government. During Natsir's premiership, Soekiman was also briefly sent abroad as part of a delegation discussing the Western New Guinea dispute, but the delegation was told to return home after less than a month. Initially, PNI's
Sartono Sartono (5 August 1900 – 15 October 1968) was an Indonesian politician and lawyer who served as the first Speaker of the House of Representatives (Indonesia), speaker of the House of Representatives (Indonesia), House of Representatives (DPR) ...
was tasked and failed to form a replacement cabinet. In his place, Soekiman along with PNI's
Sidik Djojosukarto Sidik Djojosukarto ( EVO: Sidik Djojosoekarto; 7 June 1908 â€“ 8 September 1955) was an Indonesian politician who served as chairman of the Indonesian National Party (PNI) from 1950 until his death. As PNI chairman, he was revered by all pa ...
were appointed formateurs. Following negotiations, Soekiman struck a deal with PNI regarding power sharing within the government, with PNI agreeing to Soekiman becoming prime minister. However, PNI wished for Natsir to lose his influence within the government. This deal resulted in Masyumi's internal split worsening, to the point where the party's executive committee issued a declaration stating that Soekiman's actions did not represent the party. Regardless, a government was formed and Soekiman began serving as prime minister with PNI's
Suwiryo Suwiryo ( EVO: Soewirjo; 17 February 1903 â€“ 27 August 1967) was an Indonesian politician. He served as the first Mayor of Jakarta following the proclamation of Indonesian independence from 1945 until 1947 and again from 1950 until 1951. Ad ...
as his deputy on 27April 1951. The cabinet included five Masyumi members, but none were part of Natsir's faction within the party. Despite proposals during Natsir's premiership to reduce the number of cabinet positions, Soekiman instead increased it and received criticism for it. Eventually, however, Natsir's faction relented and issued another statement supporting the Soekiman government, allowing it to function politically. Unlike Natsir's slim majority, the government held a significant majority in parliament hence providing Soekiman with plenty of political capital in policymaking. Also unlike Natsir, Soekiman maintained a close personal relationship with Sukarno.


Domestic policy

Soekiman's government took a harder stance against the emerging Darul Islam movement under Kartosoewirjo compared to the preceding government. In January 1951, Soekiman approved a military operation against the movement after Natsir's amnesty program was deemed to be unsuccessful. During Soekiman's premiership, the former colonial central bank (''De Javasche Bank'') was nationalized under Finance Minister Jusuf Wibisono through a share purchase, creating the new national central bank
Bank Indonesia Bank Indonesia (BI) is the central bank of the Republic of Indonesia. It replaced in 1953 the Bank of Java (, DJB), which had been created in 1828 to serve the financial needs of the Dutch East Indies. History Bank of Java King William ...
. Aside from the bank, the government also agreed to partially
nationalize Nationalization (nationalisation in British English) is the process of transforming privately owned assets into public assets by bringing them under the public ownership of a national government or state. Nationalization contrasts with priv ...
a 255,000-hectare tobacco plantation in
Tanjung Morawa Tanjung Morawa is a large town and an administrative district (''kecamatan'') within Deli Serdang Regency of North Sumatra North Sumatra () is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia located in the northern part of the island of Suma ...
,
North Sumatra North Sumatra () is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia located in the northern part of the island of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Medan on the east coast of the island. It borders Aceh to the northwest, Riau to the sou ...
, although its implementation would be left to the next cabinet, which failed to implement it. Due to increased exports of raw materials, the government budget in 1951 experienced a surplus. Soekiman's government began implementing economist
Sumitro Djojohadikusumo Sumitro Djojohadikusumo (Van Ophuijsen Spelling System, EVO: ''Soemitro Djojohadikoesoemo''; 27 May 19179 March 2001) was an Indonesian statesman and one of the country's most influential economists. He held ministerial positions under Presiden ...
's plan for national industrialization and pressed on despite more vulnerable government finances due to declining exports in later months. Initially, the government implemented a
foreign exchange certificate A foreign exchange certificate (FEC) is a tool for foreign exchange control in countries where the national currency is subject to exchange controls or is not convertible. The arrangements vary significantly case by case. Common types Some of ...
system but revoked it in February 1952 following former German finance minister
Hjalmar Schacht Horace Greeley Hjalmar Schacht (); 22 January 1877 â€“ 3 June 1970) was a German economist, banker, politician, and co-founder of the German Democratic Party. He served as the Currency Commissioner and President of the Reichsbank during the ...
's advice and put a 33 percent export tax in its place. The government promoted trade with the United States, Canada, and Japan, while trade with the Netherlands generally declined. In 1951, Soekiman decided to grant civil servants a bonus during the month of
Ramadan Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (''Fasting in Islam, sawm''), communal prayer (salah), reflection, and community. It is also the month in which the Quran is believed ...
. The bonus is considered the predecessor of the modern ''Tunjangan Hari Raya'' (Holiday Allowance) in Indonesia, and at the time amounted to between 125 and 200 rupiah plus some rice. As the bonus was limited to government employees, private employees went on strike on 13February 1952 to receive similar benefits. Before the strike itself, several labor actions had been held, and in August 1951 a rumour circulated that a foreign entity was planning to launch a coup with the support of the
Indonesian Communist Party The Communist Party of Indonesia ( Indonesian: ''Partai Komunis Indonesia'', PKI) was a communist party in the Dutch East Indies and later Indonesia. It was the largest non-ruling communist party in the world before its violent disbandment in ...
(PKI). Following a shooting at
Tanjung Priok Tanjung Priok is a district in the administrative city of North Jakarta, Indonesia. It hosts the western part of the city's main harbor, the Port of Tanjung Priok (located in Tanjung Priok District and Koja District). The district of Tanjung Prio ...
on 5August 1951, he directed the government to carry out mass arrests, detaining members of the PKI and other left-wing parties without charge for months. According to Soekiman in a 29October statement, the arrests involved 15,000 people. The legislature initially did not oppose this action. However, as it became clear that the arrests had been planned by Soekiman by just involving a handful of others, and that no coup had been planned, Soekiman was accused of acting in panic or under pressure from the United States. Despite this, the government coalition remained solid, and the PKI was weakened by the sweeps.


Foreign policy

Relationship with the
People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
(PRC) deteriorated during Soekiman's tenure, as he believed that PKI was being supported and funded by the PRC. Soekiman's cabinet implemented an international trade embargo against the PRC and denied entry to a number of its diplomats. Conversely, Soekiman's foreign policy tended to favor Western countries, especially the United States. Soekiman sent foreign minister
Achmad Soebardjo Achmad Soebardjo Djojoadisoerjo (23 March 1896 – 15 December 1978) was a diplomat, an Indonesian national hero, and the first foreign minister of Indonesia. Early life Achmad Soebardjo was born in Teluk Jambe, Karawang Regency, West Java, on ...
to sign the
Treaty of San Francisco The , also called the , re-established peaceful relations between Japan and the Allied Powers on behalf of the United Nations by ending the legal state of war, military occupation and providing for redress for hostile actions up to and inclu ...
in 1951, despite internal opposition to the act by some Masyumi leaders such as
Mohammad Roem Mohammad Roem ( EYD: Mohammad Rum; 16 May 1908 â€“ 24 September 1983) was an Indonesian politician and diplomat. He served in various positions during his career in government, including as Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affai ...
and
Sjafruddin Prawiranegara Sjafruddin Prawiranegara ( EYD: Syafruddin Prawiranegara; 28 February 1911 â€“ 15 February 1989) was an Indonesian statesman and economist. He served in various roles during his career, including as head of government in the Emergency Gove ...
. Regardless, Soebardjo signed the agreement on 6September 1951. While in the United States, Soebardjo also negotiated with the US Secretary of State
Dean Acheson Dean Gooderham Acheson ( ; April 11, 1893October 12, 1971) was an American politician and lawyer. As the 51st United States Secretary of State, U.S. Secretary of State, he set the foreign policy of the Harry S. Truman administration from 1949 to ...
, lobbying Acheson to provide loans and aid to Indonesia under the
Mutual Security Act The Mutual Security Act of 1951 launched a major American foreign aid program, 1951–61, of grants to numerous countries. It largely replaced the Marshall Plan. The main goal was to help underdeveloped US-allied countries develop and to contai ...
(MSA). In January 1952, Soebardjo resumed negotiations regarding MSA loans and aid with US Ambassador to Indonesia H. Merle Cochran, with Soekiman's knowledge. Once this was made known to the parliament and the general public, opposition emerged as the negotiations were perceived to pull Indonesia towards the
Western Bloc The Western Bloc, also known as the Capitalist Bloc, the Freedom Bloc, the Free Bloc, and the American Bloc, was an unofficial coalition of countries that were officially allied with the United States during the Cold War (1947–1991). While ...
in the
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
, contrary to the nation's "free and active" foreign policy doctrine. This opposition was strengthened by the secretive nature of Soebardjo and Cochran's negotiations. On 12February 1952, the Masyumi leadership council issued a statement opposing any agreement with Cochran, followed by a similar statement by PNI four days later. This led to Soebardjo's resignation as foreign minister on 21February and of Soekiman's along with the rest of his cabinet on 23February.
Wilopo Wilopo (21 October 1909 â€“ 1 June 1981) was an Indonesian politician and lawyer. A capable administrator, he served as prime minister of Indonesia from 1952 to 1953. He also held various other positions during his career, including as Min ...
replaced Soekiman as prime minister on 1April.


Later career

After his resignation as prime minister, Soekiman was appointed as chair of Masyumi's electoral committee, tasked with devising Masyumi's strategy in facing the
1955 Indonesian legislative election Legislative elections were held in Indonesia on 29 September 1955 to elect the 257 members of the House of Representatives. The election was the first national election held since the end of the Indonesian National Revolution, and saw over 37 mil ...
. Soekiman was once more appointed as cabinet formateur on 29July 1955 after the collapse of the
First Ali Sastroamidjojo Cabinet The First Ali Sastroamidjojo Cabinet () was an Indonesian cabinet named after the prime minister, and also known as 'Kabinet IV', that served from 30 July 1953 until 12 August 1955. Composition Cabinet Leadership *Prime Minister: Ali Sastroamid ...
, this time with PNI's Wilopo and Masyumi's
Assaat Assaat Datuk Mudo (18 September 1904 – 16 June 1976), known as Mr. Assaat, was born in Banuhampu, Agam Regency, Agam, West Sumatra, Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). He was the only President of the Yogyakarta-based Republic of Indonesia (1949 ...
, but the trio failed to form a cabinet, and their mandate was returned by 3August. He also became a member of the
Constitutional Assembly of Indonesia The Constitutional Assembly () was a body elected in 1955 to draw up a permanent constitution for the Republic of Indonesia. It sat between 10 November 1956 and 2 July 1959. It was dissolved by then President Sukarno in a decree issued on 5 Jul ...
. In 1958, Natsir along with several other Masyumi leaders joined the seditious
Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia The Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia (, PRRI) was a revolutionary government set up in Sumatra to oppose the central government of Indonesia in 1958. Although frequently referred to as the PRRI/Permesta rebellion, the Perm ...
(PRRI), triggering an internal split within the remaining leaders of the party. Soekiman attempted to lobby other Masyumi leaders into condemning Natsir's actions, but pro-Natsir politicians such as
Prawoto Mangkusasmito Prawoto Mangkusasmito (4 January 1910 – 24 July 1970) was an Indonesian politician who served as the final chairman of the Masyumi political party before its dissolution in 1960. He also served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Indonesia during ...
blocked his attempt and thus the party limited its public statements against Natsir, simply referring to the PRRI movement as unconstitutional. Prawoto's faction took over the party's leadership following the 1959 Masyumi Congress, leaving just Soekiman holding his post as deputy chairman. In 1960, Soekiman was invited to join the newly formed
People's Representative Council of Mutual Assistance People's, branded as ''People's ViennaLine'' until May 2018, and legally ''Altenrhein Luftfahrt GmbH'', is an Austro-Swiss airline headquartered in Vienna, Austria. It operates scheduled and charter passenger flights mainly from its base at St. ...
by Sukarno. However, he publicly rejected this invitation, likely displeasing Sukarno as the two never met face to face-afterward. Soekiman decided to retire from politics, allowing him to evade widespread arrests of former Masyumi leaders during the early 1960s as the government saw him as a non-threat. He floated the idea of forming a new Islamic party after
Suharto Suharto (8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was an Indonesian Officer (armed forces), military officer and politician, and dictator, who was the second and longest serving president of Indonesia, serving from 1967 to 1998. His 32 years rule, cha ...
became president but shelved his plans after consulting with authorities within the New Order.


Death

Soekiman died at around 11:30 AM on 23July 1974 in his home in
Yogyakarta Yogyakarta is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by Hamengkubuwono, a monarchy, Yogyakarta is regarded as an importan ...
. Following his request to be buried near
Ki Hadjar Dewantara Raden Mas Soewardi Soerjaningrat ( EYD: Suwardi Suryaningrat); from 1922 also known as Ki Hadjar Dewantara (EYD: Ki Hajar Dewantara), which is also written as Ki Hajar Dewantoro to reflect its Javanese pronunciation (2 May 1889 in Pakualaman â ...
, Soekiman was interred the following day in the
Taman Siswa ''Taman Siswa'' (), officially the Tamansiswa Educational Association Headquartered in Yogyakarta (), was a Javanese Pedagogy, educational movement and school system founded by Ki Hadjar Dewantara in 1922. It began by founding a kindergarten ...
cemetery in Yogyakarta. He had three sons and a daughter.


Notes


References


Citations


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Soekiman Wirjosandjojo 1898 births 1974 deaths BPUPK Interior ministers of Indonesia Javanese people Masyumi Party politicians Members of the Central Advisory Council People from Surakarta Politicians from Central Java Prime ministers of Indonesia Indonesian Muslims STOVIA alumni University of Amsterdam alumni