Ex-minister launches memoirs

Ex-minister launches memoirs

JAKARTA (JP): Commemorating his 50th wedding anniversary, Oei Tjoe Tat, a former minister under Indonesia's first president Sukarno, launched his book of memoirs depicting his governmental service and his 11-year prison term under the New Order government on Sunday evening.

The 410-page book entitled Memoar Oei Tjoe Tat Pembantu Presiden Soekarno (Memoirs of Oei Tjoe Tat, Assistant to President Sukarno), tells of the struggle of an Indonesian of Chinese origin for his nation, with his final ascent to a ministerial post.

Oei, who served as state minister under former president Sukarno, was one of the few ministers arrested in 1966 following the transfer of power from Sukarno to incumbent President Soeharto, who was then an army lieutenant general in charge of restoring order and stability in the wake of the communist abortive coup a year earlier.

Oei was released in December 1977.

Among the more than 600 guests attending the party and book launching ceremony at Bara Widya Sasana in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, were Megawati Soekarnoputri, chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party, former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, novelist Pramoedya Ananta Toer, essayist Goenawan Mohamad, historian Onghokham, and human rights activist H. Princen. (ego)