Secret of power transfer dies with former chief M. Jusuf
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar
Another former military chief, Gen. (ret) Andi Mohamad Jusuf, died on Wednesday, just a week after the death of Gen.(ret) L. Benny Moerdani on Aug. 29.
Jusuf, who led the Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) between 1978 and 1983 and who won wide popularity with his troops, died on Wednesday night of natural causes at his home on Jl. Pangka in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi.
The death of Jusuf has also likely buried the truth behind the disputed "Letter of 11 March", popularly known as Supersemar, which marked the historic transition of power from then president Sukarno to then Maj. Gen. Soeharto, back in 1967. Jusuf was one of three generals assigned by Soeharto to meet Sukarno.
The two other generals -- Amir Machmud and Basuki Rachmat -- have already died. The meeting between the three generals and Sukarno produced the Letter of 11 March, which effectively, though in dubious language, transferred the country's authority to Soeharto. It instructed Soeharto to "take all measures considered necessary to guarantee security and stability of the government and ... to guarantee the personal safety and the authority" of Sukarno.
Scholars have alleged that Soeharto had drawn up the letter and sent the messengers to force Sukarno to sign it. However, the Army and Soeharto have continued to firmly deny "the alleged coup" for years and so did Jusuf, who remained quiet over what was actually behind the Supersemar until his last breath.
John Adam, an internist who treated the general, said that Jusuf's health had deteriorated rapidly over the past few weeks and he finally fell unconscious on Wednesday evening. Jusuf, 76, died at 9:35 p.m after his vital organs, including heart and kidneys, were declared dysfunctional.
He is survived only by his wife, Elly Saelan. His only son Jaury Jusuf Putra has already passed away.
The low-profile Jusuf was born in South Bone, South Sulawesi on June 23, 1928. He joined the Army and was made a captain in a regiment in Manado, North Sulawesi province in 1945. He rose fast in his career and eventually took the helm of ABRI in 1978.
While leading ABRI, Jusuf was known for being close to his subordinates and people. He made the welfare of soldiers, especially low-ranking ones, his priority, which made him very popular within the ABRI ranks and among people. His closeness to soldiers, however, apparently disappointed then president Gen. (ret) Soeharto, who apparently suspected that Jusuf was eroding his power base. Jusuf only served one term, and he was then appointed in 1983 to a less important post as the chief of the Supreme Audit Body.