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Abdul Haris Nasution –

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Abdul Haris Nasution

Abdul Haris Nasution was a high-ranking Indonesian general and politician. He served in the military during the Indonesian National Revolution and he remained in the military during subsequent turmoil of the Parliamentary democracy and Guided Democracy. 

Following the fall of President Sukarno from power, he became the Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly under president Suharto. Born on 3 December 1918, into a Batak Muslim family, in the village of Hutapungkut, Dutch East Indies, he studied teaching and enrolled at a military academy in Bandung. Abdul Haris died on 6 September 2000 after suffering a stroke and going into a coma. His body was interred at Kalibata Heroes Cemetery.

Here are the top 10 interesting facts about Abdul Haris Nasution.

1.  After the end of the national revolution, Abdul was appointed Chief of Staff of the army

Abdul Haris became a member of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army, but following the Japanese invasion, he joined the Defenders of the Homeland. Following the proclamation of independence, he enlisted in the fledgling Indonesian armed forces and fought during the Indonesian National Revolution.

In 1946, he was appointed commander of the Siliwangi Division, the guerrilla unit operating in West Java. After the end of the national revolution, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the army, until he was suspended for his involvement in the 17 October affair. He was reappointed to the position in 1955.

2.  Nasution’s daughter was killed in 1965, during an attempted coup

AH Nasution with his family. Photo taken several months before the 30 September Movement, which killed Ade Irma Suryani (second from left) by Military Collection of Indonesia –

In 1965, an attempted coup occurred, later officially blamed on the Communist Party of Indonesia. Nasution’s house was attacked, and his daughter was killed, but he managed to escape by scaling a wall and hiding in the Iraqi ambassador’s residence. 

In the following political turmoil, he assisted in the rise of President Suharto and was appointed Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly. He had a falling out with Suharto, who saw him as a rival, and he was pushed out of power in 1971.

3. Nasution wrote a book called the Fundamentals of Guerrilla Warfare

This book was based on Nasution’s own experiences fighting and organizing guerrilla warfare during the Indonesian War of Independence. 

Originally released in 1953, it would become one of the most studied books on guerrilla warfare along with Mao Zedong’s works on the same subject matter.

4. In 1957, after the state of emergency was declared, Nasution made a famous speech

Minister of Defense Abdul Haris Nasution –

After the resignation of the prime minister and the declaration of the state of emergency, the army also began participating in politics, filling in positions that ranged from cabinet ministers to provincial governors and even DPR members. 

In December 1957, Nasution further increased the army’s role by ordering officers to take over the recently nationalized Dutch companies. Aside from increasing the army’s role, this move was also designed to stop the influence of the increasingly powerful PKI. 

In 1958, Nasution made a famous speech that would become the basis for the Dwifungsi Doctrine which the Suharto regime would adopt. Speaking at Magelang in Central Java, Nasution declared that ABRI should adopt a middle-way approach to the nation. According to Nasution, ABRI should not be under the control of civilians. At the same time, ABRI should not dominate the country in such a way that it became a military dictatorship.

5. From 1956, Nasution started to stamp out corruption in the army

Nasution believed that the army should set an example for the rest of society. Not long after Sukarno’s decree, Nasution sent Brigadier General Sungkono to investigate the financial dealings of Military Area Command IV/Diponegoro and its commander, Colonel Suharto.

 Sungkono’s findings revealed that during his time as regional commander, Suharto had set up foundations to help local people. However, these foundations were funded through compulsory levies instead of voluntary donations to production and service industries. He decided to remove Suharto from his position and punish him by sending him to the Army Staff College.

6. Nasution narrowly escaped a kidnapping attempt 

Asad Shahab (left) and Abdul Haris Nasution (right) –

On the morning of 1 October 1965, troops calling themselves the 30 September Movement attempted to kidnap seven anti-communist Army officers including Nasution. Lieutenant Arief was the leader of the squad assigned to capture Nasution. About fifteen soldiers broke into the house.

Nasution continued hiding in the garden of his neighbor until 6 am when he returned to his house with a broken ankle. Nasution then asked his adjutants to take him to the Ministry of Defense and Security because he thought it would be safer there.

7. In 1966, Nasution was removed from his position as Minister of Defense and Security in a cabinet reshuffle

The position of ABRI Chief of Staff was also abolished. By this stage, the expectation that Nasution would do something was now gone as army officers and student movements alike rallied behind Suharto. 

Nevertheless, he continued to be a respected figure as many army officers visited him in the days leading up to the signing of the Supersemar document handing over authority from Sukarno to Suharto. 

In fact, when Suharto was about to go to the Kostrad Headquarters to wait for the delivery of the Supersemar, he called Nasution and asked him for his blessing. Nasution’s wife gave the blessing on behalf of Nasution, who was not present. 

Nasution’s political senses seemed to have returned after Suharto received the Supersemar. It was perhaps he who first realized that Supersemar not only gave Suharto emergency powers but also gave him executive control.

 8. Nasution set up the Institute for Constitutional Awareness Foundation 

Indonesian general Abdul Haris Nasution at an event in the Netherlands on 3 May 1971 by Punt / Anefo –

In July 1978, together with former vice-president Hatta, Nasution set up the Institute for Constitutional Awareness Foundation. Suharto’s government moved quickly and did not allow YLKB to conduct its first meeting in January 1979. 

Nasution and the YLKB did not give up. In August 1979, it managed to hold a meeting that DPR members attended. Perhaps significantly, ABRI members attended the meeting. During the meeting, Nasution criticized the New Order for not fully implementing Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.

Suharto did not take the criticism lightly. On 27 March 1980, at an ABRI Meeting, Suharto in a speech said that ABRI members should be ready to defend their seats in the DPR and that they should align themselves with forces that are for Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution such as Golkar.

9. In 1995, Nasution encouraged Indonesia to go through a reconciliation process 

In July 1993, Suharto invited Nasution to the Presidential Palace for a meeting. This was followed by another meeting on 18 August 1993, after the Independence Day celebrations. 

Nothing political was talked about, but it was clear that both men were keen to reconcile their differences. In an interview in 1995, Nasution encouraged Indonesia to go through a reconciliation process so that the nation could be united under the leadership of Suharto.

10. Nasution was given the honorary rank, of general of the army

On 5 October 1997, on the occasion of ABRI’s anniversary, Nasution was given the honorary rank Jenderal Besar. 

General of the army (Indonesian: Jenderal Besar, was the highest rank of the Indonesian Army. Within the Indonesian Armed Forces ranking system, it was the equivalent of admiral of the fleet (laksamana besar) and marshal of the air force (marsekal besar). Those ranks were honorary and did not provide additional authority or responsibility.