Ahmad Boestaman
Encyclopedia
Dato Ahmad Boestaman was a Malaysian freedom fighter, politician and was the founding president of Parti Rakyat Malaysia
.
Boestaman had been a young follower of the Kesatuan Melayu Muda
(KMM) from the late 1930s in Perak
, emerging after the war as the militant youth leader of Angkatan Pemuda Insaf (API) to the older and more moderate Dr Burhanuddin Helmi and Ishak Haji Muhammad
(Pak Sako) of the Malay Nationalist Party (PKMM).
PKMM, in turn, led Pusat Tenaga Rakyat or Putera to join the All Malayan Council of Joint Action (AMCJA), which was then led by the Malayan Democratic Union (MDU). AMCJA crafted the People’s Constitution in 1947 as the basis for Malayan independence, years before the United Malays National Organisation
switched its slogan from “Hidup Melayu” to “Merdeka” under Tunku Abdul Rahman
’s leadership.
Boestaman was detained without trial for seven long years from early 1948, before the Emergency was declared in mid-1948, together with thousands of other Malay youths demanding independence. This pre-emptive repression by the colonial power was to ethnically colour the subsequent anticolonial resistance.
Soon after his release in 1955, he set up the Partai Rakyat Malaya
with other independent fighters on November 11, 1955. Inspired by anti-colonial and socialist struggle in Indonesia
led by Sukarno
, the party in its formative years subscribe to a Pan-Malay/Indonesia nationalism. Unlike its contemporary UMNO (which later became the ruling party until today), Parti Rakyat demanded total independent from British colonialism.
The party later joined with the Labour Party of Malaya (Parti Buruh), chaired by Ishak Haji Muhammad
, to create the Socialist Front
, which dominated the local councils in Peninsular Malaysia. The growing power of the left resulted heavy crackdown by the UMNO government.
In 1963, soon after the outbreak of the Konfrontasi between Malaysia and Indonesia
, the Alliance
government began yet another massive round up of politicians and activists among the opposition. Among those arrested and detained were Boestaman, Ishak Haji Muhammad
, Abdul Aziz Ishak
(head of GERAM), Datuk Kampo Radjo (later the president of PRM), Tan Kai Hee, Tan Hock Hin, Dr. Rajakumar, Hasnul Hadi, Tajuddin Kahar and hundreds of others.
The Socialist Front eventually dissolved under strong state repression. When racial riot broke out in 1969, the ruling UMNO consolidated its grip and local council election was abolished. Parti Rakyat lost it prominence in parliamentary politics. Boestaman eventually faded from the headlines of Malaysian politics.
Boestaman's son, Rustam Sani
would later become the deputy president of the party his father founded.
Ahmad Boestaman died on January 19, 1983.
Parti Rakyat Malaysia
The Parti Rakyat Malaysia is a democratic socialist political party in Malaysia. Established on November 11, 1955 as Partai Ra'ayat, it is one of the older political parties in Malaysia and traces its pedigree to the anti-colonial movements from the pre World War II period like the Kesatuan Melayu...
.
Boestaman had been a young follower of the Kesatuan Melayu Muda
Kesatuan Melayu Muda
Kesatuan Melayu Muda was the first national political establishment in British Malaya. Ibrahim Yaacob played a huge role in founding the union in 1938 in Kuala Lumpur, then the capital of the Federated Malay States. The main goal of the union was to unite all Malays regardless of origin and fight...
(KMM) from the late 1930s in Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
, emerging after the war as the militant youth leader of Angkatan Pemuda Insaf (API) to the older and more moderate Dr Burhanuddin Helmi and Ishak Haji Muhammad
Ishak Haji Muhammad
Ishak Haji Muhammad or better known as Pak Sako was a prominent Malaysian writer, active in the 1930s until the 1950s. He was a nationalist and his involvement began before independence and continued thereafter...
(Pak Sako) of the Malay Nationalist Party (PKMM).
PKMM, in turn, led Pusat Tenaga Rakyat or Putera to join the All Malayan Council of Joint Action (AMCJA), which was then led by the Malayan Democratic Union (MDU). AMCJA crafted the People’s Constitution in 1947 as the basis for Malayan independence, years before the United Malays National Organisation
United Malays National Organisation
The United Malays National Organisation, is Malaysia's largest political party; a founding member of the National Front coalition, which has played a dominant role in Malaysian politics since independence....
switched its slogan from “Hidup Melayu” to “Merdeka” under Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, AC, CH was Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya from 1955, and the country's first Prime Minister from independence in 1957. He remained as the Prime Minister after Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore joined the...
’s leadership.
Boestaman was detained without trial for seven long years from early 1948, before the Emergency was declared in mid-1948, together with thousands of other Malay youths demanding independence. This pre-emptive repression by the colonial power was to ethnically colour the subsequent anticolonial resistance.
Soon after his release in 1955, he set up the Partai Rakyat Malaya
Parti Rakyat Malaysia
The Parti Rakyat Malaysia is a democratic socialist political party in Malaysia. Established on November 11, 1955 as Partai Ra'ayat, it is one of the older political parties in Malaysia and traces its pedigree to the anti-colonial movements from the pre World War II period like the Kesatuan Melayu...
with other independent fighters on November 11, 1955. Inspired by anti-colonial and socialist struggle in Indonesia
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...
led by 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...
, the party in its formative years subscribe to a Pan-Malay/Indonesia nationalism. Unlike its contemporary UMNO (which later became the ruling party until today), Parti Rakyat demanded total independent from British colonialism.
The party later joined with the Labour Party of Malaya (Parti Buruh), chaired by Ishak Haji Muhammad
Ishak Haji Muhammad
Ishak Haji Muhammad or better known as Pak Sako was a prominent Malaysian writer, active in the 1930s until the 1950s. He was a nationalist and his involvement began before independence and continued thereafter...
, to create the Socialist Front
Socialist Front
The Socialist Front is a coalition of far-left and pro-independence political organizations in Puerto Rico. The Socialist Front also includes non-partisan activists....
, which dominated the local councils in Peninsular Malaysia. The growing power of the left resulted heavy crackdown by the UMNO government.
In 1963, soon after the outbreak of the Konfrontasi between Malaysia and Indonesia
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...
, the Alliance
Alliance Party (Malaya)
The Alliance Party was a political coalition in Malaysia. Formed in 1951, it successfully gained the majority of seats available for contest in the first election for the Federal Legislative Council held in 1955 in what was then the British protectorate of the Federation of Malaya.The Alliance...
government began yet another massive round up of politicians and activists among the opposition. Among those arrested and detained were Boestaman, Ishak Haji Muhammad
Ishak Haji Muhammad
Ishak Haji Muhammad or better known as Pak Sako was a prominent Malaysian writer, active in the 1930s until the 1950s. He was a nationalist and his involvement began before independence and continued thereafter...
, Abdul Aziz Ishak
Aziz Ishak
Abdul Aziz bin Ishak is a Malaysian freedom fighter, politician and journalist.Aziz was, in fact, the only member of the pre-war Kesatuan Melayu Muda to have served in the 1955 and post-Merdeka Cabinets under Tunku Abdul Rahman. Between 1955 and 1963, he was the Minister for Agriculture and...
(head of GERAM), Datuk Kampo Radjo (later the president of PRM), Tan Kai Hee, Tan Hock Hin, Dr. Rajakumar, Hasnul Hadi, Tajuddin Kahar and hundreds of others.
The Socialist Front eventually dissolved under strong state repression. When racial riot broke out in 1969, the ruling UMNO consolidated its grip and local council election was abolished. Parti Rakyat lost it prominence in parliamentary politics. Boestaman eventually faded from the headlines of Malaysian politics.
Boestaman's son, Rustam Sani
Rustam Sani
Rustam Abdullah Sani was a Malaysian politician, sociologist, political scientist and blogger.Born on August 12, 1944, towards the end of the Japanese occupation of Malaysia in the Perak border town of Tanjung Malim, Rustam grew up in the shadow of his famous father, Abdullah Sani @ Ahmad Boestaman...
would later become the deputy president of the party his father founded.
Ahmad Boestaman died on January 19, 1983.