BPUPKI
Encyclopedia
The Committee for Preparatory Work for Indonesian Independence was an organization set up in March 1945 by the Japanese administration occupying Indonesia
. It decided on the Pancasila ideology for Indonesia.
and Hatta
. Other groups were set up, both civilian and military, and Indonesians began to be appointed to administrative posts. After the Japanese defeat at the Battle of Leyte Gulf
and the liberation of the Philippines, the Japanese abandoned hope of turning Indonesia into a puppet state, and now began to try and win goodwill. However, a rebellion by PETA militas
in Blitar
in February 1945 showed the Japanese they were losing control.
and Madura
. The membership included eight Japanese, including one of the vice-chairmen. Among the members were:
The other co-secretary was a Japanese who was unable to understand Indonesian
, the language used in the meetings.
, Hatta
, Yamin
, Wahid Hasyim and the Indo (Eurasian) P.F.Dahler
. Sutomo advocated national integration as opposed to personal individualism. Muhammad Yamin advocated the new nation state should not only include all the territories of the Dutch East Indies
, but also include Sarawak
, Sabah
, Malaya
, and Portuguese Timor
. Yamin further suggested ignoring international law and declaring all ocean areas between islands as Indonesian territorial waters. His nationalistic viewpoints were grounded in the history and territorial claims of the Majapahit Empire, but also the general appeal to unite all peoples of racial and cultural Malay backgrounds.
During the following BPUPKI session in July, a constitution
for Indonesia was drafted. Hatta opposed Yamin's viewpoints, and even suggested that West Papua might be excluded from the new republic. Sukarno backed Yamin's nationalistic unitary statements. Haji Agus Salim proposed people in the British and Portuguese colonies could vote on whether to join Indonesia. Ultimately a committee majority votes to include Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah and Portuguese Timor, as well as the whole of the Dutch East Indies.
The committee endorsed Sukarno's Pancasila (politics) philosophy as the foundation of the new state.
Japanese Occupation of Indonesia
The Japanese Empire occupied Indonesia, known then as the Dutch East Indies, during World War II from March 1942 until after the end of War in 1945...
. It decided on the Pancasila ideology for Indonesia.
Background
Realizing they were losing the war, on 7 September 1944, the Japanese promised independence to Indonesia. The Japanese navy was not supportive of the idea, but the 16th Army in Sumatra established a Central Advisory Board, which met only once. Despite navy opposition, army-navy liaison vice-admiral Maeda Tadashi began to fund speaking tours by Indonesian nationalists SukarnoSukarno
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...
and Hatta
Hatta
Hatta may refer to:* Hatta, Gaza, an Arab village in Palestine depopulated in 1948* Hatta, Madhya Pradesh, a village in Damoh District, Madhya Pradesh, India* the Hatta number, a dimensionless parameter in chemical reaction engineering...
. Other groups were set up, both civilian and military, and Indonesians began to be appointed to administrative posts. After the Japanese defeat at the Battle of Leyte Gulf
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...
and the liberation of the Philippines, the Japanese abandoned hope of turning Indonesia into a puppet state, and now began to try and win goodwill. However, a rebellion by PETA militas
PETA (Indonesia)
PETA or was an Indonesian volunteer army established on 3 October 1943 in Indonesia by the occupying Japanese. The Japanese intended PETA to assist their forces oppose a possible invasion by the Allies...
in Blitar
Blitar
Blitar is a city which is the capital of a regency with the same name in East Java, Indonesia, about 73 kilometers from Malang and 167 kilometers from Surabaya. The area lies within longitude 111° 40' - 112° 09' East and its latitude is 8° 06' South...
in February 1945 showed the Japanese they were losing control.
Formation and composition
The BPUPKI was founded on 1 March 1945. It met in the building formerly used by the Volksraad (People's Council), which had been set up by the Dutch. The Japanese appointed 59 members, representing the major groups in JavaJava
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
and Madura
Madura
Madura is an Indonesian island off the northeastern coast of Java. The island comprises an area of approximately 4,250 km². Madura is administered as part of the East Java province. It is separated from Java by the narrow Strait of Madura.-History:...
. The membership included eight Japanese, including one of the vice-chairmen. Among the members were:
- Dr. Radjiman Wediodiningrat (chairman)
- Ichibangase Yoshio (vice-chairman)
- Suroso (vice-chairman)
- Abdul Gafar Pringgodigdo (co-secretary)
- SukarnoSukarnoSukarno, 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...
- Mohammad HattaHattaHatta may refer to:* Hatta, Gaza, an Arab village in Palestine depopulated in 1948* Hatta, Madhya Pradesh, a village in Damoh District, Madhya Pradesh, India* the Hatta number, a dimensionless parameter in chemical reaction engineering...
- Besar MertokusumoBesar MertokusumoMr. Besar Mertokusumo was an Indonesian advocate, said by Daniel S. Lev to be the first.-Biography:...
- Mansur
- Dewantara
- Salim
- SoepomoSoepomoProf. Dr. Mr. Soepomo was Indonesia's first Minister of Justice, serving in the Presidential Cabinet from 19 August to 14 November 1945 and from 20 December 1949 to 6 September 1950.-Biography:...
- M. Soetardjo Kartohadikoesorno
- Abikoesno Tjokrosoejoso
- Bagus Hadikusuma
- Abdul Wahid HasyimWahid HasyimAbdul Wahid Hasyim was the first Minister of Religious Affairs in the government of President Sukarno of Indonesia, a post he held in 1945, and from 1949 to 1952....
- Muhammad YaminMuhammad YaminMuhammad Yamin was born in Talawi, Sawahlunto, in the heartland of the Minangkabau on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. He was the son of Oesman Gelar Baginda Khatib the Penghulu of Indrapura...
The other co-secretary was a Japanese who was unable to understand Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
, the language used in the meetings.
Plenary meetings
The BPUPKI held two plenary meetings: 29 May - 1 June and 10 - 17 July 1945. In May, the committee convened and was first chaired by Dr. Radjiman Wediodiningrat. Other notable members included SukarnoSukarno
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...
, Hatta
Hatta
Hatta may refer to:* Hatta, Gaza, an Arab village in Palestine depopulated in 1948* Hatta, Madhya Pradesh, a village in Damoh District, Madhya Pradesh, India* the Hatta number, a dimensionless parameter in chemical reaction engineering...
, Yamin
Yamin
- Family name :* Elliott Yamin, Jewish American singer of Iraqi origin** Elliott Yamin * Muhammad Yamin, an Indonesian poet, playwright and politician- See also :* Yemin * Yemen * Yamina...
, Wahid Hasyim and the Indo (Eurasian) P.F.Dahler
P.F.Dahler
Pieter Frederich Dahler , more commonly known as P.F. Dahler or Frits Dahler, was one of the leading Indo politicians and activists advocating integration of the native Indo-European community into the indigenous society of the Dutch East Indies...
. Sutomo advocated national integration as opposed to personal individualism. Muhammad Yamin advocated the new nation state should not only include all the territories of the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
, but also include Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
, Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
, Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
, and Portuguese Timor
Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, north of the Timor Sea. It is divided between the independent state of East Timor, and West Timor, belonging to the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. The island's surface is 30,777 square kilometres...
. Yamin further suggested ignoring international law and declaring all ocean areas between islands as Indonesian territorial waters. His nationalistic viewpoints were grounded in the history and territorial claims of the Majapahit Empire, but also the general appeal to unite all peoples of racial and cultural Malay backgrounds.
During the following BPUPKI session in July, a 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...
for Indonesia was drafted. Hatta opposed Yamin's viewpoints, and even suggested that West Papua might be excluded from the new republic. Sukarno backed Yamin's nationalistic unitary statements. Haji Agus Salim proposed people in the British and Portuguese colonies could vote on whether to join Indonesia. Ultimately a committee majority votes to include Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah and Portuguese Timor, as well as the whole of the Dutch East Indies.
The committee endorsed Sukarno's Pancasila (politics) philosophy as the foundation of the new state.