HISTORY

Onwards to Independence & the Dynamics of Early Nationbuilding

Indonesian History

Part 1: Onwards to Independence

BPUPKI

After the fall of Saipan Island to the Allies on July 1944, the Japanese Prime Minister,
Koiso declared that Indonesia will gain its own independence. Furthermore, on 1
March 1945, the Lieutenant General Kumakichi Harada of the 16th Army of the
Imperial Japanese Army - which was stationed in Batavia - declared the creation of
the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence, the BPUPKI
(Badan Penyelidik Usaha-usaha Persiapan Kemerdekaan Indonesia | Dokuritsu Junbi
Cosakai). On 1 April 1945, members of the BPUPKI were inaugurated. In total there
were 76 members, 7 of whom are Japanese. The committee was led by Dr. Kanjeng
Raden Tumenggung Rajiman Wediodiningrat with Ichibangase Yoshio (Japanese)
and R.P. Soeroso (Indonesian) as the vice leaders.

BPUPKI officially began its work on 28 May 1945 as it held its 1st plenary meeting
(29 May to 1 June 1945). The topic of the meeting was the ideology - more precisely
sets of values that will form the ideology - of the nation. In total there are three
contending suggestions on the table, which are:

1. Mohammad Yamin (Submitted on 29 May 1945)

a) Peri Kebangsaan

b) Peri Kemanusiaan
 c) Peri Ketuhanan

d) Peri Kerakyatan

e) Kesejahteraan Rakyat

2. Dr. Mr. Soepomo, S. (Submitted on 29 May 1945)

a) Persatuan

b) Kekeluargaan

c) Keseimbangan lahir batin

d) Musyawarah

e) Keadilan Rakyat

3. Ir. Soekarno (Submitted on 1 June 1945)

a) Pancasila:

i. Kebangsaan Indonesia

ii. Internasionalisme / Perikemanusiaan

iii. Mufakat atau demokrasi

iv. Kesejahteraan sosial

v. Ketuhanan yang Maha Esa

b) Trisila:

i. Socio-Nasionalisme

ii. Socio-Demokrasi

iii. Ketuahanan dan Kebudayaan

c) Eka Sila:

i. Gotong-Royong

The 2nd plenary meeting was held from 10-17 July 1945. The topic of discussion was
the form, territory and constitution of the nation. There were contending forms of
nation tabled by the attendees. However, large majority of them voted in favor of a
republic rather than a monarchy and integralistic (fascistic) form of governance. This
meeting also finally produced the draft for the national constitution (Undang-Undang
Dasar 1945). At 17 July 1945, BPUPKI was dissolved and its successor, the
Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (Panitia Persiapan
Kemerdekaan Indonesia | Dokuritsu Junbi Inkai) was created.

Timeline of Events after BPUPKI

Date Event(s)

6/8/1945 The Allies nuclear bombed Hiroshima with the “Little Boy”.

8/8/1945 Soviet Union declared war on Japan due to its aggression on Soviet
Manchurian territories.

9/8/1945 The Allies nuclear bombed Nagasaki with the “Fat Man”.
Soekarno, Mohammad Hatta, and Radjiman Wedyodinigrat was
called to Dalat, (now a city in present-day Vietnam) by Field
Marshal Hisaichi Terauchi of the Imperial Japanese Army. To the
Indonesian delegations, he announced that:

a) PPKI will be created.

b) Indonesian territory will encompass the one that Dutch

East Indies (Hindia Belanda) had.

c) The time for the proclamation of Independence will be

determined shortly.

d) The new government of Indonesia will be placed in Java

Island.

e) All Japanese demands must be accepted

f) Soekarno will lead the PPKI

 14/8/1945 Japan declared unconditional surrender to the Allies.

15/8/1945 Vacuum of Power in Indonesia as Japan lost the war.

The Rengasdengklok Incident: Conflict erupted within the

independence movement. Darwis and Wikarna from the golongan
muda pressured Soekarno and Hatta as part of the golongan tua to
proclaim the independence of Indonesia. However, the latter
refursed as they were fearful of retaliation from the Japanese. Later
that the evening, the golongan muda ‘kidnapped’ Soekarno-Hatta
and brought them to Rengasdengklok in hopes of preventing the
Japanese from influencing the duo.

16/8/1945 Ahmad Soebarjo (Head of PETA and a representative from the

golongan tua), came to Rengasdengklok to retrieve Soekarno-Hatta.
The duo, under his advice, was brought to the house of Rear
Admiral Maeda Tadashi of the Imperial Japanese Navy to draft the
proclamation of independence.

The drafting of the proclamation was conducted by Soekarno,

Hatta, Ahmad Soebarjo, Sukarni, B.M. Diah, Sudiro, as well as a
Japanese representative, Miyoshi, with Sayuti Melik as the drafter.

17/8/1945 The proclamation of the independence of Indonesia

Proclamation

The Meaning of Proclamation:

1. The beginning of the Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia (NKRI).

2. The overthrow of colonial rule and the establishment of the sovereign and

national rule of the Indonesian people.

Consequences:
1. Internal: Indonesia must preserve its independence and sovereignty over its

subjects.

2. External: Other countries must recognize and respect the sovereignty of NKRI.

Part 2: Dynamics of Early Nationbuilding

Starting the Process of Nationbuilding

After the independence of Indonesia, the PPKI began working on the fundamentals of
a nation-state, namely its ideological framework, constitution, territories, miilitary,
governmental type and structure.

Timeline of Events

Date Event(s)

18/8/1945 PPKI meeting results:

1. Pancasila as the ideology of Indonesia

2. The Preamble of 1945 Constitution (UUD 1945)

3. The Structure of 1945 Constitution

4. Presidency and Vice-Presidency of Soekarno-Hatta

5. Central Indonesian National Committee (Komite Nasional

Indonesia Pusat) will aid the President

19/8/1945 PPKI meeting results:

1. 8 provinces (including its governors) will be under Indonesian

rule (Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, Lesser Sunda
Islands [Nusa Tenggara], East Java, Central Java, and West
Java).

2. The Presidental Cabinet (1945) which include 12 Ministries:

 Ministry of the Home Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Law and Human Rights,
Ministry of People’s Security, Ministry of Health, Ministry of
Education, Ministry of Welfare, Ministry of Information,
Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Public Works, Ministry
of Transportation.

22/8/1945 Laskar militia groups, PETA was unified under the Badan
Keamanan Rakyat (BKR).

Partai Nasional Indonesia (PNI) was declared as the only party in

Indonesia.

The creation of Indonesian National Committee (KNI).

5/10/1945 The establishment of the Tentara Keamanan Rakyat (TKR) as the

first Indonesian professional military.

16/10/1945 Maklumat Wakil Presiden No.X:

KNIP to be declared as a legislative body.

3/11/1945 Maklumat 3 November 1945:

The government allows the creation of new political parties aside of

PNI.

14/11/1945 Maklumat 14 November 1945:

Changing the government from presidential cabinet system to a

parliamentarian one.

TBC