Secret of power transfer dies with former chief M. Jusuf
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.