/pol/ - International /Pol/itics & /Bant/er

Sutan Sjahrir, known as "Si Bung Kecil" with big thoughts, is one of the founders of the Indonesian nation who was born in Padang Panjang on March 5, 1909. Growing up in an established family, Sjahrir has a rare opportunity to study in European schools, ranging from ELS and MULO in Medan, AMS in Bandung, to continuing his law studies at Leiden University, Netherlands. In Europe, his vision was wide open; he delved into socialism, was active in student associations, and even worked in the international labor secretariat which made him a very intellectual anti-fascist and anti-colonial figure.

Upon his return to his homeland in 1931, Sjahrir chose a different path of movement from Soekarno. Together with Mohammad Hatta, he leads the Indonesian National Education (PNI Baru) which prioritizes the education of intelligent movement cadres rather than just mass agitation. Because he was considered dangerous by the colonial government, he was arrested and exiled to Boven Digoel, Papua, a notorious concentration camp, before finally being transferred to Banda Neira. In this exile, his humanistic side is clearly seen when he often teaches local children to read and play music.

When Japan occupied Indonesia, Sjahrir refused to cooperate and chose to lead the underground movement. He built a network of anti-fascist youth and secretly listened to the allied radio, which made him one of the first people to know about Japan's defeat. This crucial information encouraged him to urge Soekarno and Hatta to immediately proclaim independence without waiting for Japan's promise, a dynamic that then triggered the Rengasdengklok incident.

After Indonesia became independent, Sjahrir was appointed as the first Prime Minister at the age of 36, a strategic position because of his "clean" image of Japanese collaboration in the eyes of the Allies. He believed that Indonesia's military power at that time was not strong enough to fight the Allies frontally, so he chose the path of diplomacy. His clever move can be seen through "Rice Diplomacy" by sending aid to India that is starving, as well as the Linggarjati Agreement which although controversial, succeeded in giving the first international recognition to the existence of the Republic of Indonesia.

Unfortunately, Sjahrir's political journey ended tragically in the era of Guided Democracy. After establishing the Indonesian Socialist Party (PSI) and becoming a critical opposition to Soekarno's authoritarianism and the influence of the PKI, he was arrested without a clear trial in 1962. The detainment worsened his health until he suffered a stroke and was finally allowed to go to Zurich, Switzerland for treatment, where he breathed his last on April 9, 1966. Right on the day of his death, he was designated as a National Hero, leaving a legacy of thought that patriotism can be fought through rationality and diplomacy, not just by taking up arms.