AR Baswedan Proposed To Return To Become A National Hero In Today's Memory, October 4, 2015

AR Baswedan, who served as Minister of Information in the 1946-1947 era. (Special)

JAKARTA Memories of today, nine years ago, October 4, 2015, a national figure, Abdurrahman (AR) Baswedan was proposed again to get the title of national hero from the government. The proposal was revealed when commemorating the Arabic Regulation Youth Pledge.

Previously, the actions of AR Baswedan for Indonesia's independence were huge. He invited all groups of Arab descendants to pro-indonesian independence. He even contributed diplomatically to Arab countries to recognize Indonesia's independence.

The Arab descent group once felt exclusive in the archipelago. The narrative is because the Arab group occupied a special caste in the Dutch colonial era. The colonial government of the Dutch East Indies placed them as second-class citizens, while the natives were third-class.

This condition makes them often discriminate. Their appearance does not want to be the same as the natives. However, not with AR Baswedan. AR Baswedan is of Arab descent who thinks he is part of the native people. He was born and lived in the archipelago.

He also began to promote support for Indonesia's struggle for independence. He began inviting other Arab descendants to join and support the struggle. This seriousness led him to invite 40 Arabic-derived figures to declare the Youth Pledge of Arab Descendants on October 4, 1934 in Kampung Melayu, Semarang.

This event became an important moment in the journey of the Indonesian people. Arab descendants claimed to be one with the natives. They also work hand in hand in realizing Indonesia's independence. AR Baswedan also thought they needed a forum for movement.

Persatoean Arab Indonesia (PAI) was later established. The goal is none other than to be part of Indonesia's struggle. AR Baswedan often travels around to strengthen the attitude of the Arab group to support Indonesia.

His role led AR Beswedan to become part of the Investigating Agency for the Preparation of Independence (BPUPKI). His work increased when Indonesia became independent. He was appointed as Minister of Information. He was also sent by the Indonesian government to diplomacy to Egypt to get support from other Arab countries in 1947.

"Because my heart is still full of feelings caused by my daily relationships in Mr. Soeljo Adikoesoemo's house, like you usually eat together in a Javanese way, so by dressed like that, I have feelings that are more inclined towards my mother than you. I then don't remember anymore, but a Javanese native," explained AR Baswedan in his writing as quoted by Lukman Hakiem and Hadi Nur Ramadhan in the book A.R. Baswedan: I am Muslim, I am Nationalist (2021).

AR Baswedan passed away on March 16, 1986. However, the spirit of struggle is still felt today. Anies Baswedan's grandfather was then proposed by many parties to get recognition as a national hero from the government in 2011.

However, the government has not responded. The proposal again echoed the momentum of the commemoration of the Youth Pledge of Arab Descendants on October 4, 2015. They "all members of the family and community organizations" agreed to re-propose AM Baswedan to get recognition as a national hero.

The proposal was made so that there would be representation of the Arab group in the history of the journey of the Indonesian nation. AR Baswedan was deemed worthy of receiving the title of National Hero. He was the bearer of decisive support as a complement to diversity in Indonesia. Later, AR Baswedan was only appointed as a National Hero in 2018 by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

"We have been trying to propose since 2011 for the title of National Hero. AR Baswedan has learned a lot about nationalism from them, especially from Liem Koen Hian, the founder of the Indonesian Chinese Party. It has had a huge impact, we see that Arab descent is now able to join various elements, for example in the current government, his grandson, AR Baswedan, Anies Baswedan also serves as a minister of Education and Culture," said historian from the Nabil Foundation, Didik Kwartananda who incidentally was one of the proposers as quoted on the website.co, October 4, 2015.