The Generous Sultan Who Became Indonesia's 'Donor' at the Start of the Government
A strong sense of nationalism led this sultan from Riau to donate his personal wealth to Indonesia. At that time, Indonesia was merely a newly independent country. The philanthropic figure was Sultan Syarif Kasim II of the Kesultanan Siak Sri Indrapura.
Citing the Badan Bahasa Kemendikdasmen website, UIN Suska Riau, and the Riau Provincial Government, on Tuesday (17/3/2026), Sultan Syarif Kasim II was born in Siak Sri Indrapura on 1 December 1893. He was the 12th sultan of Kesultanan Siak. Sultan Syarif Kasim II was enthroned as sultan in 1915 and received the title Sultan Assyaidis Syarif Kasim Sani Abdul Jalil Syaifuddin.
Sultan Syarif Kasim II was an anti-colonial figure. He believed that resisting Dutch colonisers could not be done with weapons alone. In 1917, he established an Islamic religious school exclusively for boys named Madrasah Taufiqiyah Al-Hasyimiah.
Sultan Syarif Kasim II, together with his consort Tengku Agung Sultanah Latifah, then founded a school for women in 1926 named Latifah School. The sultan also created a Dutch-language education programme called Hollandsch Inlandsche School and brought in teachers from outside the region and even from abroad.
In addition, he provided scholarships to the children of Siak for schooling in Medan and Batavia. He firmly rejected Dutch interference in Kesultanan Siak affairs, opposed forced labour, and formed a military force to combat the colonisers.
Sultan Syarif Kasim II also supported Indonesia becoming an independent nation. Shortly after Sukarno proclaimed Indonesia’s independence, Sultan Syarif Kasim II declared that Kesultanan Siak was part of Indonesian territory.
He also donated most of his wealth, amounting to 13 million guilders or equivalent to Rp 1.07 trillion, on 28 November 1945. This donation was given through President Sukarno as initial capital to run the Indonesian government.
In October 1949, Sultan Syarif Kasim II met Sukarno again in Yogyakarta and handed over 30 percent of his wealth in the form of gold. This was intended to support the newly independent Indonesian government.
He also donated an open crown made of gold adorned with diamonds to the Indonesian government. Now, the crown adorned with diamonds and ruby gems is at the National Museum in Jakarta.
“Sultan Siak pledges to gift a portion of that property to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia as his donation to help the struggle of the Republic of Indonesia,” reads an excerpt from the letter ‘Permata Sultan Siak’ created in February 1950.
Sultan Syarif Kasim II passed away in 1968 in Riau. He was awarded the title of National Hero in 1998. The government has also immortalised his name through Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport in Pekanbaru, Riau.