JAKARTA - The strength of student action in the nation's history cannot be underestimated. Students through their big action in 1965-1966 proved to be the cause of Soekarno's downfall. The action that popularized the term “going to the streets” also embarrassed Big Brother. The inauguration of the new Dwikora II cabinet which was canceled, for example. Students not only closed the streets of Jakarta but also took action to deflate car tires.
The action then showed the ulcers of the Old Order. The events of the September 30th movement (G30S) became the estuary of the Soekarno government starting to lose its dignity. Moreover, the G30S incident was immediately followed by a long demonstration (October 1965-March 1966) of students who were dissatisfied with the situation. The dissatisfaction was expressed by the students in three demands.
First, dissolve the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), reshuffle the cabinet and lower prices. These three demands were later known as Tritura (Tri Demands of the People). The action was not only centered in one place, but at many points, ranging from the State Palace, Bogor Palace, the streets of Jakarta, to ministry buildings.
The action even extended to Bandung. Students at that time thought that Soekarno's government was too lenient with the PKI and that the economic crisis was getting worse at the end of 1965. Moreover, the distance between the people and Bung Karno was getting further apart. The problem was further exacerbated by the behavior of Bung Karno, who was called a "marriage" student and liked to party.
"Bung Karno is as if he was being held captive in a golden cage. Without a connection do not expect to meet him. And in an atmosphere like this there is a brain that is systematically trying to 'decadence' it. He is continuously supplied with beautiful, shrewd women. Hartini appeared (who brought him together?), and destroyed Bung Karno," said student activist Soe Hok Gie in his book A Demonstrator's Note (2011).
“Since then, beautiful women have been in and out of the palace: Baby Huwae, Ariati, Sanger, Dewi, and others. It was as if Bung Karno wanted to change his life from being a man who loved his homeland to emperors who had a harem. Every week there are decadent parties at the Palace with obscene talk and obscene acts," he added.
As a result, students are looking for new figures. They hope that this figure can bring change for Indonesia for the better. In the midst of the chaos emerged the figure of General Suharto as a new idol. Not infrequently in student actions the name The Smiling General is mentioned. Suharto is considered a quiet figure who is straight and reluctant to do politics.
Moreover, every time Suharto took to the field, an almost "chaos" atmosphere could be calmed down easily by him. “Like many people, I put a lot of hope in the New Order period, because the New Order promised a total correction of the mistakes of the Old Order.
"And like many other Indonesians, even though I am an admirer of Bung Karno, I am very aware of Bung Karno's weakness towards women and the issue of economic management," said General Hoegeng Imam Santoso as quoted by Leila S. Choiduri in his article in Tempo Magazine entitled Persisting in an Honest Path (1992). ).
Car tire deflationTritura's increasingly massive demonstration finally got a response. Officially, Bung Karno will reshuffle the cabinet with new people. Bung Karno even announced the composition of the Dwikora II Cabinet which was a refinement of the Dwikora I Cabinet on February 12, 1966.
Then, the inauguration of new ministerial candidates will be planned nine days later, or on February 21, 1966. However, the composition of the new cabinet announced by Bung Karno did not satisfy many parties. The reason is because there are still many old faces who are considered students not yet free from communist elements.
As a form of refusal, the students immediately took to the streets to hold demonstrations and move to the palace. Some students have blocked the road to the palace. Some of them are doing the action of deflation of car tires.
General Hoegeng, who at that time was still the Minister of State Contributions, saw the act of deflation of car tires directly. Hoegeng, who rushed to the State Palace to be inaugurated with a new assignment, Secretary of the Presidium of the Cabinet, felt that the roads he used to walk to the State Palace were very congested and congested.
Investigate a calibaration, when approaching Gambir, Hoegeng saw students who were members of the Indonesian Student Action Union (KAMI) and students of the Indonesian Student Youth Action Union (Kappi) as the culprits of traffic jams.
The demonstrators immediately went to the car one by one to be deflated. Then, when they wanted to deflate Hoegeng's car, many students recognized the honest policeman. The deflation was not carried out because Hoegeng was considered a straight figure. Hoegeng was free to drive. However, not for other ministerial candidates who are stuck in traffic.
“Apparently I am one of those who are safe when entering the Palace. This is because there are ministers who take a taxi or walk because the demonstrators deflate their car. However, among the ministers there are also those who come in a classy and very safe way, namely by helicopter!,” said Hoegeng as quoted by Abrar Yusra and Ramadhan KH in the book Hoegeng: Ideal Police and Reality (1993).
The presence of the minister who used the helicopter opened up the ulcers of Soekarno's leadership. In the midst of the country's chaotic economic conditions, many of the ministers actually have a luxurious lifestyle by wasting state finances. While the people have to struggle to live in order to fulfill their daily lives.
As a result of the car tire deflation, the inauguration of the Dwikora II cabinet was cancelled. The situation in Jakarta at that time became tense because of the shooting of a student from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (FKUI), Arif Rahman Hakim (ARH) by Cakrabirawa troops.
However, Soekarno still insisted on appearing to the public at 18:30 to announce the composition of the Dwikora II cabinet which was perfected. Therefore, the new inauguration will be held three days later, namely on February 24, 1966.
“At that time, students protested the hearing and inauguration of the Dwikora Cabinet which was perfected. Apparently these student actions were considered quite disturbing and threatening by the Cakrabirawa troops. Somehow in the beginning, Cakrabirawa troops suddenly fired shots that were either intentional or not aimed at the demonstrators."
"For those who are used to demonstrations, of course they will immediately lie down or take cover behind something when they hear gunshots. However, because it was the first time that ARH was participating in a demonstration, ARH was not quick to lie down or take cover so a bullet hit his body," concluded the class 66 student, Firman Lubis. in the book Jakarta 1950-1970 (2018).
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