The Dark Memory of 1998: A Small Testimony

In the days following the Trisakti tragedy in Jakarta on 12 May 1998, we gathered at the Universitas Padjadjaran campus on Jalan Dipatiukur in Bandung. At that time, we were condemning the deaths of four Trisakti University students during demonstrations demanding that Soeharto step down from his position as president. Elang Mulia Lesmana, Heri Hartanto, Hafidin Royan, and Hendriawan Sie became victims of Soeharto’s brutal regime. The four young men who were killed were shot inside the Trisakti campus, hit by live bullets in vital areas such as the head, throat, and chest (www.trisakti.ac.id). Students in major cities across Indonesia were furious, and we were no exception, closing ranks at the main Unpad campus on Jalan Dipatiukur in Bandung. For students, the tragedy seemed like a ‘call of history’ to shout one thing more strongly and loudly: Bring down Soeharto—the ruler who had been in power for 32 years. In our eyes at the time, Soeharto was indeed elected through general elections held regularly every five years. However, elections during the New Order era were an electoral process that did not demonstrate that democracy was upheld. The winning political parties in the elections were always the same ones. And the president elected through the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) was always the same national figure: Soeharto. Soeharto, at that time criticised by some Indonesianists as the Javanese King, had just been re-elected two months earlier through the MPR General Session in March 1998. His political legitimacy was high, and the ‘smiling general’ should have completed his government until 2003. Disaster struck. The monetary crisis—which also afflicted several countries in Southeast Asia and East Asia—eroded Soeharto’s power. In January 1998, the rupiah had already fallen to Rp17,000 per US dollar. Compare this with the rupiah exchange rate in June 1997, which was still around Rp2,441 per US dollar (Kompas.id, 4/4/2025). That means the rupiah plummeted nearly sevenfold. Before the Trisakti tragedy, Soeharto announced an unpopular policy in the previous week. On 4 May 1998, he raised petrol prices to Rp1,200 per litre. This decision sparked panic in major cities. I still remember the queues of people at petrol stations or SPBUs around Cicaheum in Bandung. In the past, a terminal stood here connecting Bandung with cities in Java. About 15-20 kilometres from Cicaheum stands the Unpad Jatinangor campus, home to several faculties. The New Order was well aware that campuses were better kept away—if not ‘exiled’—from the city so as not to disturb local government with demonstrations. And the step of raising fuel prices was one that Soeharto had to regret because that policy helped fuel public anger. Subsequently, the crisis multiplied and shook Indonesia. The monetary crisis escalated into an economic crisis, then sparked a political and social crisis. Indonesia was hit by great chaos. The crisis at that time resulted in anarchy in the markets. Prices of basic necessities skyrocketed. People’s wallets were emptied by inflation. The image of a comfortable life in the Soeharto era had to be rolled up—less than three years after Indonesia commemorated its 50th Independence Day. Students shouted for the national leader to be replaced because he was no longer able to control the situation.