Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - A dispute within the closest circle of the\nIndonesian President once occurred during the New Order era. The\nconflict involved the President\u2019s Personal Assistant (Aspri), Ali\nMoertopo, and the Commander of the Operational Command for the\nRestoration of Security and Order (Pangkopkamtib), General Soemitro.\nBoth wielded significant influence around Soeharto but operated in\ndifferent corridors of power.<\/p>\n
Ali Moertopo had been one of the Aspri since 1968, with the latitude\nto manage various intelligence and special operations (Opsus). Although\nhe only held the rank of Major General, or a two-star officer, his\ninfluence was immense because he was one of Soeharto\u2019s principal\nconfidants. Meanwhile, Soemitro served as Pangkopkamtib from 1971. As a\nfour-star general, he held broad authority to maintain national security\nand order, including confronting threats of subversion and\nrebellion.<\/p>\n
The clash between the two began to emerge in 1971 because their areas\nof work frequently overlapped. Soemitro assessed that the existence of\nOpsus, led by Ali Moertopo, had the potential to cause duplication with\nother intelligence agencies. \u201cWith the existence of Opsus, conflicts of\ninterest could occur between intelligence bodies, for example with Bakin\nor Intel Kopkamtib, so that their work areas overlapped. Sometimes\nunnecessary tensions arose,\u201d Soemitro stated in his biography Soemitro:\nFrom Panglima Mulawarman to Pangkopkamtib (1994).<\/p>\n
On the other hand, Ali Moertopo\u2019s close associate, Jusuf Wanandi, in\na testimony titled Unveiling the New Order (2015), assessed that\nSoemitro also sought to expand his influence beyond his formal duties.\nIn his notes, the man born in Probolinggo was said to often act like a\nday-to-day government coordinator and frequently summoned ministers to\nhis office, even though he was not acting as president. \u201cIn the early\n1970s, he behaved as if he were Soeharto\u2019s trusted man to run the wheels\nof government and often called ministers to his office,\u201d Jusuf Wanandi\nrevealed.<\/p>\n
The enormous influence of the two figures even bred suspicion between\nthem. Each party allegedly suspected that their rival harboured greater\npolitical ambitions, potentially even to become a competitor to\nSoeharto. Ali\u2019s camp suspected Soemitro wanted to rival the president.\nAt that time, a document circulated revealing Soemitro\u2019s desire to\nbecome president. Likewise, Soemitro had once warned Ali Moertopo\ndirectly. \u201cDo not engage in machtsvorming (power building) with the aim\nof overthrowing him (Soeharto). If that is what you do, you will face\nme,\u201d Soemitro asserted.<\/p>\n
Over time, the conflict between the two widened further. According to\nJusuf Wanandi\u2019s testimony, Soemitro went so far as to withdraw soldiers\nfrom Ali\u2019s house and conduct wiretapping. This led to many unknown\nindividuals barging into the intelligence operative\u2019s residence.\nSubsequently, Ali\u2019s colleague, Soedjono, was declared \u2018persona non\ngrata\u2019 or an undesirable person. Ali then fought back by reporting the\nPangkopkamtib\u2019s actions directly to the president, including the\nwithdrawal of troops and Soemitro\u2019s desire to court student support.<\/p>\n
Not wanting the conflict to escalate, Soeharto intervened. At the end\nof 1973, he summoned Moertopo, Soemitro, and several other generals to\nresolve the issue. \u201cWhoever has the ambition to replace him (Soeharto)\nmust do so constitutionally so that Indonesia does not become like Latin\nAmerican countries that change leaders through coups,\u201d Soeharto\nstated.<\/p>\n
However, the rivalry ended after the Malari Riots on 15 January 1974.\nAccording to Ken Conboy in Intel: Inside Indonesia\u2019s Intelligence\nService (2008), the major riot triggered by student demonstrations\ntarnished Soeharto\u2019s image. As Pangkopkamtib, Soemitro was held\nresponsible. He chose to resign, also turning down an ambassadorship to\nthe United States. After stepping down, Soemitro admitted to having\nconfronted Ali Moertopo, whom he accused of being behind efforts to ruin\nhis reputation, including allegedly engineering the riots. \u201cI order you\nto ruin my name. Ruin it! This is an order, not a request,\u201d Soemitro\ntold Ali emphatically.<\/p>\n
After Malari, Soeharto carried out a major reshuffle. Soemitro\u2019s\nclose associates were moved from strategic positions, while Ali Moertopo\nalso lost some of his influence after the Aspri structure was dissolved\nand he was transferred to BAKIN. From that point on, Soeharto no longer\npermitted his aides to hold excessively great power.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/when-the-indonesian-presidents-personal-assistant-clashed-with-a-four-star-general-1781437855", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }