Masa Demokrasi Liberal: Kabinet Wilopo dan Ali Sastroamidjojo 1 | Part 3

Wilopo Cabinet

The Wilopo Cabinet was formed through a coalition between the Indonesian National Party (PNI) and Masyumi. Its main programs included:

• Preparing for general elections, which had not yet been held since independence.
• Improving public prosperity.
• Strengthening domestic security amid rebellions and unrest.
• Maintaining an independent and active foreign policy.
• Seeking a resolution to the West Irian dispute with the Netherlands, as anticipated in the Round Table Conference agreements.

Major events during Wilopo’s term

17 October 1952 incident: A dispute over the army’s internal affairs escalated into a confrontation between army leaders and parliament. Senior officers, including T.B. Simatupang and A.H. Nasution, wanted President Sukarno to dissolve parliament after it supported Colonel Bambang Supeno’s opposition to a proposed Dutch military mission. Army forces brought tanks toward the presidential palace to pressure Sukarno, but he refused to dissolve parliament. Nasution later resigned as Army Chief of Staff and was replaced by Colonel Bambang Sugeng. The incident highlighted strained relations between the army and parliament.

Tanjung Morawa incident: Under the Round Table Conference arrangements, plantations previously controlled by foreign businesses were to be returned to them. Local farmers resisted surrendering land they had occupied, leading to a clash with security forces and farmer casualties. A motion of no confidence, advanced by a labor union associated with Sidik Kertapati and supported in parliament, contributed to the Wilopo Cabinet’s fall.

NU’s departure from Masyumi: Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), then part of Masyumi, objected to the appointment of Faqih Usman as Minister of Religion because he was not an NU cadre. NU concluded that Masyumi was not adequately representing its interests and left to become an independent political party.

Ali Sastroamidjojo I Cabinet

The Ali I Cabinet served from 1953 to 1955 and was supported by the PNI and NU. Masyumi was not included in the cabinet and became an opposition party.

Its program broadly continued Wilopo’s priorities: preparing for elections, pursuing an independent and active foreign policy, and seeking a resolution to the West Irian dispute.

Asian-African Conference

The cabinet’s most notable foreign-policy achievement was hosting the Asian-African Conference in Bandung in April 1955, attended by around 29 countries. The conference reflected Indonesia’s independent and active foreign-policy approach.

• It was preceded by the Colombo Conference and the Bogor (Pancanegara) Conference.
• Its five initiating countries were Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Burma (Myanmar), and Sri Lanka.

Fall of the cabinet

The Ali I Cabinet later fell amid conflict between parliament and the army over the appointment of Bambang Utoyo as Army Chief of Staff. After Bambang Sugeng resigned, the Defense Minister appointed Utoyo, but the TNI Commander rejected the appointment. Military leaders’ absence from Utoyo’s installation ceremony reflected the dispute.

Speakers and sources featured

Andi was the presenter and history tutor, identified in the video as being from Edcent / edson.id. No other speakers are featured in the subtitles. Historical figures are discussed by the presenter rather than speaking in the video.