TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - “One day we will meet again.”
That sentence marked both the beginning and the end of Sumitro Djojohadikusumo’s years in exile abroad. During his journey from Bangkok to Jakarta in 1967, Sumitro recalled the words he had spoken before his students on May 10, 1957. The remark came only moments before the former Finance Minister, who served from 1952 to 1956, joined the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PRRI) movement in opposition to Sukarno’s regime.
On his journey home, as recounted in the book Jejak Perlawanan Begawan Pejuang (The Resistance Journey of a Warrior Sage), Sumitro also remembered his mother’s words: every decade of his life would bring a major turning point. The prediction proved prophetic. In 1947, for instance, Sumitro became the youngest member of Indonesia’s delegation to the United Nations Security Council. In 1957, he fled abroad after being accused of rebellion. A decade later, he returned to Indonesia.
Sumitro’s homecoming in 1967 came at the request of Maj. Gen. Suharto, then Commander of the Army Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) and acting President. After receiving the March 11 Order in 1966, Suharto assigned Kostrad intelligence officer Brig. Gen. Ali Moertopo to track down Sumitro and persuade him to assist the government.
The mission was like searching for a needle in a haystack. While on the run, Sumitro used nine aliases. In Germany, for example, he went by the name Sunarto. In Hong Kong, he used So Ming Tau and Soo Ming Doo. In Malaysia and Thailand, he adopted the aliases Abu Bakar, Henry Kusumo, and Henry Tau.
After the Phantom Years
1 hari lalu
Some media outlets and pro-Sukarno circles opposed Sumitro Djojohadikusumo's return. The business community saw him as a breath of fresh air.
Twilight of an Old Warrior
2 hari lalu
After retiring from the bureaucracy, Sumitro Djojohadikusumo returned to life as an academic, businessman, and consultant.
Sumitro Djojohadikusumo: Prabowo is Arrogant, Temperamental
3 hari lalu
Sumitro Djojohadikusumo spoke candidly about the CIA's involvement in the PRRI and his assessment of Prabowo Subianto's character.
The Patron of the Berkeley Mafia
3 hari lalu
Several University of Indonesia students studied at the University of California, Berkeley. They later became the economic architects of the New Order
The Chameleon Tactics of an Independence Diplomat
3 hari lalu
Sumitro Djojohadikusumo played an active role in Indonesia's diplomatic struggle at the United Nations. He once clashed with Mohammad Hatta.
The Apple Falls Far from the Tree
4 hari lalu
Prabowo's programs are considered as contradicting many of the ideas championed by Sumitro Djojohadikusumo. The state's role is excessive.
Speaking Through Writing
5 hari lalu
Sumitro Djojohadikusumo enjoyed a measure of privilege because his father, Margono Djojohadikusumo, was a banker during the Dutch colonial era.
A Populist Vision That Ended in Disappointment
5 hari lalu
With a populist economic vision, Sumitro initiated food diversification during the New Order era.
Is Prabowonomics Consistent with Sumitronomics?
5 hari lalu
On many occasions, President Prabowo has stated that his economic worldview was profoundly shaped by the ideas of his father, the late Sumitro.
The Divergent Economics of Sumitro's Son
6 hari lalu
Unlike his father, Prabowo Subianto is running Indonesia's economy recklessly and without fiscal discipline.
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