Malino Conference

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The Malino Conference was organised by the

Dutch in the Sulawesi town of Malino from 16 to 25 July 1946 as part of their attempt to arrange a federal solution for Indonesia. From the end of World War II, Indonesian Republicans had been trying to secure Indonesian Independence from the Dutch colonial control
.

The Dutch summoned 39 Indonesians who represented the (rajas), Christians, and other ethnic groups from

East Indonesia
and who were in favor of maintaining some sort of link with the Netherlands. The extent of Indonesian support for true autonomy, however, was not something the Dutch had anticipated. Plans for two states—one for East Indonesia and one for Kalimantan—came out of the summit.

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Background

Following the 17 August 1945

Acting Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies Hubertus van Mook had come to the conclusion that it was no longer possible to return to the pre-war status quo, and began to work towards the establishment of an Indonesian commonwealth linked to the Dutch crown. His proposal for such a commonwealth was approved by Dutch Colonial Affairs Minister Johann Logemann, and announced on 10 February.[3] Negotiations in March between van Mook and Indonesia Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir led to recognition of de facto republican control over Java, Madura and Sumatra, and Dutch sovereignty over the rest of Indonesia. When this became known, Sjahrir was briefly arrested by the Indonesian army. Meanwhile, van Mook began cultivating links with Indonesian leaders outside Java, particularly in west Java and eastern Indonesia, and subsequently decided to move ahead with attempts to establish a federal Indonesia by holding a conference in Malino.[4][3][5]

Conference delegates

Van Mook began making approaches to prospective delegates in April 1946, asking them to attend and participate in a conference to discuss the structure of a government in eastern Indonesia. In those regions such as Bali and South Sulawesi there were representative bodies in place, and these assemblies appointed delegates. In other areas, NICA officials and local leaders nominated representatives.[6] There were a total of 53 delegates and advisers from across eastern Indonesia, including Borneo and West Papua, as well as from Bangka/Belitung. Indonesian vice-president Mohammad Hatta claimed that these delegates were gathered "at the point of a bayonet", although the delegated subsequently denied this.[7] There was also a large Dutch delegation headed by van Mook.[8]

The negotiations

The official opening ceremony was held on 16 July, with van Mook making a long speech in which he stated that "the Netherlands Government... considers it imperative that, in the quickest possible way and according to carefully thought out plans, these countries [within the Indonesian federation] will be put in a position to govern themselves."

Great East (including West Papua) and Netherlands Borneo. It was also resolved to hold a further conference to determine the form of governance for Borneo and the Great East and that Borneo and the Great East should be represented in negotiations between the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch. A committee of seven would be established to negotiate the future form of the government with the Dutch General Government Commission[10][11]

Aftermath

Three months after the conference, delegates from minority groups met at a conference in

Pangkal Pinang, Bangka at which they expressed support for the views expressed at Malino.[7] Members of the General Government Commission subsequently met regional leaders and the Commission of Seven Indonesian representatives, who played only an advisory role. Because of the ongoing political instability in Borneo, it was decided to focus the endeavor to establish a federal state on the Great East region. Van Mook subsequently decided to hold the Denpasar Conference in December 1946 to discuss the establishment of a government in this region. Meanwhile, in November, the Dutch reached their first agreement with the republican side, and recognized republican authority over Java, Madura and Sumatra.[4][12]

In May 1948, a Second Malino Conference was held. It was attended by representatives of the self-governing areas in the State of East Indonesia, who proposed a law establishing a Provisional Senate. This proposal was turned into a law the following year.[13]

Notes

  1. ^ Ricklefs 2008, pp. 342–343.
  2. ^ Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung 1996, pp. 1–2.
  3. ^ a b Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung 1996, pp. xxvii–xxix.
  4. ^ a b Ricklefs 2008, pp. 360.
  5. ^ Keat Gin Ooi 2004, pp. 1385–1386.
  6. ^ Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung 1996, pp. 56–57.
  7. ^ a b Schiller 1955, p. 22.
  8. ^ Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung 1996, pp. 61–63.
  9. ^ Wehl 1948, p. 128.
  10. ^ Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung 1996, pp. 63–76.
  11. ^ Wehl 1948, p. 129.
  12. ^ Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung 1996, pp. 81–82.
  13. ^ Schiller 1955, p. 153.

References

  • Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung (1996) [1995]. From the Formation of the State of East Indonesia Towards the Establishment of the United States of Indonesia. Translated by Owens, Linda. Yayasan Obor. .
  • Keat Gin Ooi, ed. (2004). Southeast Asia: A Historical Encyclopedia, from Angkor Wat to East Timor, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. .
  • .
  • Schiller, A. Arthur (1955). The Formation of Federal Indonesia 1945-1949. The Hague: W. Van Hoeve Ltd.
  • Wehl, David (1948). The Birth of Indonesia. George Allen & Unwin Ltd.