Agus Salim
Encyclopedia
Haji Agus Salim (ˈagʊs ˈsalɪm; born Musyudul Haq; 8 October 1884 - 4 November 1954) was one of Indonesia
's founding fathers and prominent diplomats. He played a leading role in the creation of the Indonesian constitution
in 1945 and served as Indonesia's Foreign Minister
between 1947 and 1949.
, West Sumatra
to Sutan Muhammad Salim, a court official, and Siti Zaenab. His birth name was Musyudul Haq; Agus was his nickname. on 8 October 1884. His surename was Masyudul Haq or Musyudul Haq, whereas his nickname was Agus. His father's name was Sutan Muhammad Salim, and his job was prosecutor (called hoofd djaksa) in Riau High Court and once received the highest civilian medal from Queen Wilhelmina
. His mother's name was Siti Zaenab.
In 1890, he began to study in Europeese Lagere School (generally only for Europeans) and graduated in 1897. During that period, he also furthered his studies of Islam. In 1897, he studied at Hogere Burger School and he earned the highest rank of HBS, when he was 19 years old.
Salim was interested in studying medicine applied for a scholarship from the Dutch colonial government, but was refused. In respect of his mother's last wish, at the age of 22 he took a job at the Dutch consulate in Jeddah
, Saudi Arabia
. His family expected him to study religious science from his uncle, Syaikh Ahmad Khatib
. At the embassy, Salim translated and managed Indonesian's hajj
pilgrimages.
under Tjokroaminoto
's leadership and soon became second in command; Salim and Tjokorminoto became known as the dwi tunggal (the two who are one) due to their close cooperation. Salim later replaced Tjokroaminoto after Tjokrominoto's death in 19.
In his hometown he opened a public school for native Indonesians, or Hollandsc Inlandsche School. Three years later, he worked for Translateur Ladische Drukkery in Jakarta
. In 1917 he also worked as Editor in Chief for the Neradja, and then as chief editor at Balai Pustaka
. From 1917-1919, he became director of Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad, a Dutch-language newspaper.
During the same period Salim wrote extensively on human rights and Indonesian independence. In "Progress as a Property Case", published on 11 October 1917, he argued that the Dutch reason for denying Indonesian independence, the lack of economic advancement, was ignorant of human history, citing slavery
as an example. As long as Indonesians lacked political rights and independence, he argued, they would never gain economic advancement.
Salim was a member of numerous committees for the preparation for Indonesian independence, including the Committee for Indonesian Independence Preparation, Committee of Nine, and the Formulator Committee; they wrote the preamble
to Indonesia's constitution
, including Pancasila.
After the failure of the Linggadjati Agreement
with the Dutch
in March 1947, a delegation chaired by Salim went to numerous Arabic countries to seek de jure
recognition of Indonesia's independence. Facilitate by Salim's command of Arabic, they succeeded; Egypt recognize Indonesia's independence on 10 June 1947, Iran in July 1947, and Lebanon and Saudi Arabia on 24 November 1947. Upon his return to Indonesia, Salim was hailed as an exemplary diplomat.
Salim was also a member of the Indonesian delegation to the United Nations Security Council
session at Lake Success
, New York under Prime Minister Syahrir.
During his political career, he served as foreign minister
during Sjahrir II Cabinet
, Sjahrir III Cabinet
, Amir Sjarifuddin I Cabinet
, Hatta I Cabinet, and Hatta II Cabinet.
Salim died 27 days after his 70th birthday, on 4 November 1954.
veteran leader of Indonesian Islam" Sukarno
described him as a "intellectual ulama
" , a leader combining Islamic science and Western teachings. Mohammad Hatta
, called the Arabic de jure recognition of Indonesian independence Salim's greatest contribution to Indonesia.
Salim was posthumously declared a National Hero of Indonesia in 1961. He also received the Satyalencana Peringatan Perjuangan Kemerdekaan on 20 May 1961 and the Bintang Mahaputera (level I) on 17 August 1960. One of the main roads in Jakarta is named after him.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
's founding fathers and prominent diplomats. He played a leading role in the creation of the Indonesian constitution
Constitution of Indonesia
The Constitution of Indonesia is the basis for the government of the Indonesia.The constitution was written in June, July and August 1945, when Indonesia was emerging from Japanese control at the end of World War II...
in 1945 and served as Indonesia's Foreign Minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
between 1947 and 1949.
Early life
Salim was born in Kota Gadang, AgamAgam Regency
Agam is a regency of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It has an area of 2,232.30 km² and a population of approximately 419,800 people. The capital is Lubuk Basung....
, West Sumatra
West Sumatra
West Sumatra is a province of Indonesia. It lies on the west coast of the island Sumatra. It borders the provinces of North Sumatra to the north, Riau and Jambi to the east, and Bengkulu to the southeast. It includes the Mentawai Islands off the coast...
to Sutan Muhammad Salim, a court official, and Siti Zaenab. His birth name was Musyudul Haq; Agus was his nickname. on 8 October 1884. His surename was Masyudul Haq or Musyudul Haq, whereas his nickname was Agus. His father's name was Sutan Muhammad Salim, and his job was prosecutor (called hoofd djaksa) in Riau High Court and once received the highest civilian medal from Queen Wilhelmina
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Wilhelmina was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. She ruled the Netherlands for fifty-eight years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World War I and World War II, the economic crisis of 1933, and the decline of the Netherlands as a major colonial...
. His mother's name was Siti Zaenab.
In 1890, he began to study in Europeese Lagere School (generally only for Europeans) and graduated in 1897. During that period, he also furthered his studies of Islam. In 1897, he studied at Hogere Burger School and he earned the highest rank of HBS, when he was 19 years old.
Salim was interested in studying medicine applied for a scholarship from the Dutch colonial government, but was refused. In respect of his mother's last wish, at the age of 22 he took a job at the Dutch consulate in Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. His family expected him to study religious science from his uncle, Syaikh Ahmad Khatib
Ahmad Khatib
Shaikh Ahmad Khatib was a Minangkabau Indonesian Islamic teacher. He was born in Koto Gadang, Agam Regency, West Sumatra on 6 Dzulhijjah 1276 H and died in Mecca on 8 Jumadil Awal 1334 H . He served as the head of the Shafi'i school of law at the mosque of Mecca...
. At the embassy, Salim translated and managed Indonesian's hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
pilgrimages.
Career
In 1915, he joined Sarekat IslamSarekat Islam
Sarekat Islam, formerly Sarekat Dagang Islam, was a Javanese batik traders's cooperative in Indonesia.Sarekat Dagang Islam was founded by Haji Samanhudi, a businessman in Surakarta, in 1905 or 1912. His business was trading in batik, the traditional cloth made in Java...
under Tjokroaminoto
Tjokroaminoto
Hadji Oemar Said Tjokroaminoto was a nationalist, the first leader of Sarekat Dagang Islam in Indonesia.-Early life:...
's leadership and soon became second in command; Salim and Tjokorminoto became known as the dwi tunggal (the two who are one) due to their close cooperation. Salim later replaced Tjokroaminoto after Tjokrominoto's death in 19.
In his hometown he opened a public school for native Indonesians, or Hollandsc Inlandsche School. Three years later, he worked for Translateur Ladische Drukkery in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
. In 1917 he also worked as Editor in Chief for the Neradja, and then as chief editor at Balai Pustaka
Balai Pustaka
Balai Pustaka is the state-owned publisher of Indonesia and publisher of major pieces of Indonesian literature such as Salah Asuhan, Sitti Nurbaya and Layar Terkembang. Its head office is in Jakarta....
. From 1917-1919, he became director of Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad, a Dutch-language newspaper.
During the same period Salim wrote extensively on human rights and Indonesian independence. In "Progress as a Property Case", published on 11 October 1917, he argued that the Dutch reason for denying Indonesian independence, the lack of economic advancement, was ignorant of human history, citing slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
as an example. As long as Indonesians lacked political rights and independence, he argued, they would never gain economic advancement.
Salim was a member of numerous committees for the preparation for Indonesian independence, including the Committee for Indonesian Independence Preparation, Committee of Nine, and the Formulator Committee; they wrote the preamble
Preamble
A preamble is an introductory and expressionary statement in a document that explains the document's purpose and underlying philosophy. When applied to the opening paragraphs of a statute, it may recite historical facts pertinent to the subject of the statute...
to Indonesia's constitution
Constitution of Indonesia
The Constitution of Indonesia is the basis for the government of the Indonesia.The constitution was written in June, July and August 1945, when Indonesia was emerging from Japanese control at the end of World War II...
, including Pancasila.
After the failure of the Linggadjati Agreement
Linggadjati Agreement
The Linggadjati Agreement, also known as the Cheribon Agreement, was a political accord concluded on 15 November 1946 by the Dutch administration and the unilaterally declared Republic of Indonesia. Negotiations took place 11–12 November...
with the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in March 1947, a delegation chaired by Salim went to numerous Arabic countries to seek de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
recognition of Indonesia's independence. Facilitate by Salim's command of Arabic, they succeeded; Egypt recognize Indonesia's independence on 10 June 1947, Iran in July 1947, and Lebanon and Saudi Arabia on 24 November 1947. Upon his return to Indonesia, Salim was hailed as an exemplary diplomat.
Salim was also a member of the Indonesian delegation to the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
session at Lake Success
Lake Success, New York
Lake Success is a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population was 2,934 at the 2010 census.Lake Success is in the Town of North Hempstead on northwest Long Island. Lake Success was the temporary home of the United Nations from 1946 to 1951, occupying the headquarters of...
, New York under Prime Minister Syahrir.
During his political career, he served as foreign minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
during Sjahrir II Cabinet
Sjahrir II Cabinet
The second Sjahrir Cabinet was the third Indonesian cabinet and the second formed by Sutan Sjahrir. It served from to March to June 1946.-Background:The first Sjahrir cabinet had been forced to resign by Tan Malaka and his opposition Struggle...
, Sjahrir III Cabinet
Sjahrir III Cabinet
The third Sjahrir Cabinet was the fourth Indonesian cabinet. It served from October 1946 to June 1947, when it fell due to disagreements related to implementation of the Linggadjati Agreement and subsequent negotiations with the Dutch.-Background:...
, Amir Sjarifuddin I Cabinet
Amir Sjarifuddin I Cabinet
The first Amir Sjarifuddin Cabinet was the fifth Indonesian cabinet and was in office from 3 July to 11 November 1947.-Background:Following the resignation of the Third Sjahrir Cabinet on 27 June 1947, President Sukarno called a meeting with the leaders of the Masyumi Party, the Indonesian...
, Hatta I Cabinet, and Hatta II Cabinet.
Salim died 27 days after his 70th birthday, on 4 November 1954.
Legacy
Salim has been described as the "Grand Old Man of the Indonesian Independence movement andveteran leader of Indonesian Islam" Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
described him as a "intellectual ulama
Ulama
-In Islam:* Ulema, also transliterated "ulama", a community of legal scholars of Islam and its laws . See:**Nahdlatul Ulama **Darul-uloom Nadwatul Ulama **Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal**Jamiat ul-Ulama -Other:...
" , a leader combining Islamic science and Western teachings. Mohammad Hatta
Mohammad Hatta
was born in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Dutch East Indies . He was Indonesia's first vice president, later also serving as the country's Prime Minister. Known as "The Proclamator", he and a number of Indonesians, including the first president of Indonesia, Sukarno, fought for the independence of...
, called the Arabic de jure recognition of Indonesian independence Salim's greatest contribution to Indonesia.
Salim was posthumously declared a National Hero of Indonesia in 1961. He also received the Satyalencana Peringatan Perjuangan Kemerdekaan on 20 May 1961 and the Bintang Mahaputera (level I) on 17 August 1960. One of the main roads in Jakarta is named after him.