Republic of the United States of Indonesia Cabinet

The Republic of the United States of Indonesia Cabinet (Indonesian: Kabinet Republik Indonesia Serikat) was established as a result of the formation of the United States of Indonesia following the transfer of sovereignty from the Dutch colonial power. It lasted less than a year before Indonesia became a unitary state.

United States of Indonesia Cabinet
Kabinet Republik Indonesia Serikat

10th-11th Cabinet of Indonesia
1949–1950
Date formed20 December 1949 (1949-12-20)
Date dissolved6 September 1950 (1950-09-06)
People and organisations
Head of stateSukarno
Head of governmentMohammad Hatta
No. of ministers16 ministers
History
PredecessorHatta II Cabinet
SuccessorNatsir Cabinet

Background

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President Sukarno, the president of the United States of Indonesia, appointed Mohammad Hatta, Ida Anak Agung Gde Agung, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX and Sultan Hamid II to choose the cabinet of the new country. Two days later, on 20 December 1949, the cabinet was sworn in, and a week later formally accepted the sovereignty of the nation from the Dutch.[1]

Composition

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Only five cabinet members came from the outside the federal state of the Republic of Indonesia. Hatta worked hard to ensure that ministers were appointed based on competence, rather than party affiliation, and four of the ministers from the Republic of Indonesia did not belong to any party. In practice, Hatta had a very dominant position in the cabinet, due to his close relationship with Sukarno, his success at the Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference and his role during key events during the War of Independence.[2]

Portfolio Holder Party Origin
Prime Minister
Prime Minister Mohammad Hatta Non-party Republic of Indonesia
Departmental Ministers
Home Affairs Ida Anak Agung Gde Agung Non-party East Indonesia
Foreign Affairs Mohammad Hatta Non-party Republic of Indonesia
Defense Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwana IX Non-party Republic of Indonesia
Justice Soepomo Non-party Republic of Indonesia
Finance Sjafruddin Prawiranegara Masyumi Republic of Indonesia
Education and Culture Abu Hanifah Masyumi Republic of Indonesia
Health Johannes Leimena Parkindo Republic of Indonesia
Social Affairs Moh. Kosasih Purwanegara Non-party Pasundan
Information Arnold Mononutu Indonesian National Party (PNI) East indonesia
Transportation, Power, and Public Works Herling Laoh PNI Republic of Indonesia
Welfare Djuanda Non-party Republic of Indonesia
Labor Wilopo PNI Republic of Indonesia
Religious Affairs Wahid Hasyim Masyumi Republic of Indonesia
State Ministers
State Minister Sultan Hamid II Non-party West Kalimantan
State Minister Mohamad Roem Masyumi Republic of Indonesia
State Minister Soeparno Honggopati Tjitrohoepojo Non-party Madoera

Changes

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On 19 January 1950, State Minister Moh. Roem was appointed to the RUSI High Commission in The Hague and resigned from the cabinet. Following a report from the attorney general, State Minister Sultan Hamid II was dismissed on 5 April 1950 for involvement in the rebellion led by Raymond Westerling. Neither of these state ministers were replaced.[3][4]

The end of the cabinet

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On 15 August 1950, the United States of Indonesia ceased to exist and was replaced by the unitary state of Indonesia. On the same day, Prime Minister Hatta returned his mandate to President Sukarno. The Republic of the United States of Indonesia Cabinet was officially dissolved but continued as the cabinet of the Republic of Indonesia until a new cabinet could be formed.[5]

References

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  • Feith, Herbert (2007) The Decline of Constitutional Democracy in Indonesia Equinox Publishing (Asia) Pte Ltd, ISBN 978-979-3780-45-0
  • Kahin, George McTurnan (1952) Nationalism and Revolution in Indonesia Cornell University Press, ISBN 0-8014-9108-8
  • Ricklefs (1982), A History of Modern Indonesia, Macmillan Southeast Asian reprint, ISBN 0-333-24380-3
  • Simanjuntak, P. N. H. (2003), Kabinet-Kabinet Republik Indonesia: Dari Awal Kemerdekaan Sampai Reformasi (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Djambatan, pp. 91–102, ISBN 979-428-499-8.

Notes

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  1. ^ Feith (2007) p46
  2. ^ Feith (2007) pp 47-52
  3. ^ Simanjuntak (2003) p94
  4. ^ Feith (2007) p47
  5. ^ Simanjuntak (2003) p102