Friends launch biography of late Chairul Saleh

JAKARTA (JP): Friends and "adversaries" of the late Chairul Saleh launched a biography on Saturday intended to set the record straight about one of Indonesia's most controversial political figures in the 1950s and 1960s.

Chairul's illustrative political career reached its peak when he served as deputy prime minister under President Sukarno between 1964 and 1966.

Like many other members of Sukarno's cabinet, he was arrested after the Sept. 30, 1965, abortive communist coup blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

He died two years later while still under detention. The government has stressed that Chairul was not linked to the coup, popularly known as the G30S/PKI, but officials never clarified the reason for his detention.

"To this day, many people still think that Chairul was arrested because of his involvement in the G30S/PKI, and that he was corrupt. We try to present the facts so that people do not easily throw accusations (at Chairul) for their own interests," said Irna Hadisuwito, a history lecturer at the University of Indonesia, during the launching of the Chairul Saleh, Tokoh Kontroversial (Chairul Saleh, a Controversial Figure) book.

Irna is one of the six members of the writing team that put together the 394-page book. The other five are Bambang Suprapto, Zainal Simbangan, Hasan Gayo, Koesnandar Partowisastro and Zakaria Raib. Of the six, Ina was the only one who did not know Chairul personally.

The authors said the book is a contribution to the 50th commemoration of Indonesia's independence, for which Chairul also made a major contribution.

Chairul, born in Sawah Lunto, West Sumatra, on Sept. 13 1916, took an active part in the underground movement against the Japanese occupation in the 1940s. After World War II ended, he was active in the independence struggle against the Dutch.

According to the Indonesian National Encyclopedia, Chairul was appointed as chairman of the Executive Council Indonesian Republic Congress Youth upon Indonesia's independence in 1945.

But he left his post to lead the people's militia in West Java during the Dutch aggressions in the late 1940s. His militia, Bambu Runcing, (Sharp Bamboo), inflicted severe losses on Dutch troops, according to the encyclopedia.

After Indonesia won the war, Chairul was detained because he was considered a threat to national security. He was subsequently sent into exile in the Netherlands, where he pursued his studies. But because of his political activities there, he was deported and sent to Bonn.

In 1957, President Sukarno during his travel to the German city, met with Chairul and personally asked him to return to serve the nation. He did, and served in various capacities in Sukarno's cabinet until 1966.

The book depicts Chairul's life from his childhood to his adult years, and his role in the nation's history, Antara reported.

"We try to present the data as objectively as possible, by asking his friends and `foes' to tell their impressions of this controversial figure," Irna said.

Among those interviewed or who contributed to the book were Mochtar Kusuma-Atmadja, Mochtar Lubis, B.M. Diah, Idham Chalid, Cosmas Batubara and Ali Sadikin.

Bambang Suprapto, who headed the writing team, said they felt they owed it to Chairul to write the biography.

"His death cannot simply be forgotten, especially in view of his contribution during the struggle against the Japanese and during the independence fight," Bambang said.

Historian Abdurrachman Surjomihardjo in the book's preface, said Chairul Saleh was indeed controversial.

"He envisaged a nation that is united, just, prosperous under the Republic of Indonesia, and he did not hesitate to reject ideas which he thought were inappropriate to his ideals."

It was also this idealism that caused him to become a fugitive, be arrested and jailed during his lifetime, Abdurrachman said. (emb)