31st January 2000:
The South Jakarta District Court today acquitted Tommy Soeharto and Ricardo Gelael in the Bulog Landswap deal, declaring that they were both innocent.
In the evening, Try met with Minister of Legal Affairs Albert Hasibuan to assess what was going on. Hasibuan said the Attorney General and the prosecutors have shown they’re not afraid to go after Tommy Soeharto but it seems the judges and the courts are the weak links in the legal system.
“You have to reform the courts from the very top and that means having a clean Chief of Justice of the Supreme Court”, said Hasibuan.
1st February 2000:
The President met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Minister of Defense and Security Wismoyo Arismunandar, Commander of ABRI Wiranto, State Secretary Edi Sudrajat and Chief of BAKIN Ari Sudewo. Ari Sudewo briefed those in the meeting that the situation in the Philippines had deteriorated between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to the point of the MILF asking for independence as a pre-condition for peace. Try does not commit to a course of action.
In an ICMI Leadership meeting, Chairman of ICMI BJ Habibie said that ICMI’s stance as regards Chairman of BP-7’s Soegiarto’s speech is that Soegiarto is doing his job as the nation’s chief ideological spokesman.
2nd February 2000:
Interviewed on RCTI’s Nuansa Pagi, businessman Hashim Djojohadikusumo said that he is repaying his BLBI assistance and he’s renegotiated the price at which the government buys electricity from his electricity generator to one which is acceptable to the government. He said he doesn’t appreciate the notion that he’s somehow “less than patriotic”.
The President, accompanied by Head of BPN Jusuf Kartanegara handed out over 2,000 land certificates in East Jakarta today. Try said he wanted an acceleration of this program because having certificates gave legal protection to the people. He hopes that the BPN will continue to accelerate the process of printing land certificates.
3rd February 2000:
Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi of Japan arrived for a two-day visit. In their talks, Obuchi said that he understood it if Indonesia would abstain from being involved in the IMF Managing Directors’ voting and that Japan would not hold it against him.
In a ceremony also attended by Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Minister of Transportation Soerjadi Soedirja, Governor of Jakarta Sutiyoso, and CEO of PT KAI Anwar Supriyadi from the Indonesian side as well as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Yohei Kono and Minister of Transportation Jiro Kawasaki, Obuchi symbolically handed 72 Tokyo Rail trains to be used as part of Jakarta’s commuter railway network to Try.
4th February 2000:
While Obuchi got on with other engagements and then home to Tokyo, Try attended Friday Prayers at the Department of Religion where Minister of Religion Quraish Shihab delivered a Friday lecture. Chairman of NU Abdurrahman Wahid and Chairman of Muhammadiyah Amien Rais were there as well as was Chairman of BP-7 Soegiarto.
“Pancasila is a blessing given by Allah which is given to Indonesia’s inhabitants as protection from all the challenges that can divide a nation. As such, let all members of the Indonesian community appreciate that blessing by guarding the wholeness of our nation through the observance of Pancasila.”
Elsewhere, Minister of Agriculture Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, always a favorite with reporters as a result of his sharp tongue, was asked about his reaction to Hashim Djojohadikusumo’s interview.
“If people are so patriotic they should pay their BLBI repayments voluntarily and sell electricity at a fair price instead of waiting for the government to come and ask to negotiate with them”, Sarwono said.
6th February 2000:
With a week to go until the Golkar Central Java Provincial Congress, there are two candidates for the position of chairman. Incumbent and Try supporter Alip Pandoyo will be seeking to defend the chairman’s position from Soewardi, formerly Governor of Central Java and supported by Tutut.
7th February 2000:
Minister of Transmigration Hendropriyono used his lunchtime to dine at Megawati Soekarnoputri and Taufiq Kiemas’ residence. It had been 6 years since Hendropriyono, much to Soeharto’s anger, did nothing to prevent Megawati’s election as Chairwoman of the PDI. Megawati never forgot such favors.
The main topic was Megawati’s intentions. Megawati said that her preparations are on track for the next PDI National Congress, scheduled for June 2001. Taufiq Kiemas asked about the President’s attitude towards Megawati and her supporters.
“Still annoyed that you withdrew his Minister of Public Works last April”, said Hendropriyono “It wasn’t the best move, considering he gave it to Soetjipto as a peace offering and acknowledgement that you exist.”
“I needed Soetjipto,
Mas”, replied Megawati “He’s a warrior.”
“How could we best make it up to him?” asked Taufiq.
“From where I sit, win at the PDI National Congress, be the Chairwoman, and divert PDI’s support from Tutut to him”, said Hendropriyono.
8th February 2000:
In a press conference, Attorney General Soedjono C. Atmonegoro announced that prosecutors will be directing an appeal to the Supreme Court on the South Jakarta District Court’s decision to acquit Tommy Soeharto and Ricardo Gelael.
With State Minister of Female Empowerment and Children’s Affairs Khofifah Indar Parawansa in attendance, the DPR unanimously passed the Child Protection Law.
9th February 2000:
The President and his delegation, which included Minister of Tourism Soeyono and Minister of Trade Dorodjatun-Kuntjoro-Jakti, arrived in Denpasar, Bali this morning where they were welcomed by Governor I Made Bandem. At Bali, Try inaugurated the Istana Kuta Galeria Mall. From there he walked around Kuta Beach greeting local and foreign visitors alike though the latter tended to jokingly complain about the increase in alchohol excise. From Kuta, he went to Jimbaran to look at development projects there.
It was over ayam betutu for lunch that the trip came to a premature end. Edi Sudrajat was called aside by an aide and returned ashen-faced. Try asked what the problem was.
“It’s Soegiarto, Mr. President”, said Edi “He’s dead.”
Try couldn’t process it but he immediately jumped into his vehicle. Try got on the phone with Military Secretary Mardiyanto at Jakarta. Mardiyanto said the Chairman of BP-7 had just completed the opening of a P4 Training Session at Airlangga University in Surabaya and was walking towards his car when someone from the crowd emerged, slit his throat, and stabbed him numerous times while yelling “Allahu Akbar!”. Soegiarto bled profusely and was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. The assassin is still at large.
“I think right now I want security at the residences and on the persons of ministers and heads of agencies to be tightened”, ordered Try.
Arriving in Jakarta at 3 PM, Try held a meeting attended by Minister of Home Affairs Harsudiono Hartas, Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Wismoyo Arismunandar, Albert Hasibuan, Minister of Information, Post, and Telecommunications Oka Mahendra, Wiranto, and Ari Sudewo.
At a press conference, a statement was read out by Edi saying that the President was safe, that there will be 7 days’ mourning, and a funeral tomorrow. Sitting next to him, Oka Mahendra called for television networks to respect Soegiarto and not play whatever footage they may have of him being stabbed to death.
At 5 PM, Soegiarto’s body arrived in a coffin carried by a Hercules Cargo Aircraft. Chief of Police Luthfi Dahlan emerged from the aircraft, having gone to Surabaya to oversee efforts to try to apprehend the criminal (“We’ve got both the East Java Police and the East Java Regional Military Command to hunt this guy down”).
Soegiarto’s body was placed at his house where his family mourned over him accompanied by First Lady Tuti Setiawati. In a corner of the room Try sat down with the group of men who belonged to his generation of Army officers. Try silently wiped away tears remembering the time when he and Soegiarto, having been the first of their generation to reach the rank of brigadier general, were sent to report their promotion to Soeharto.
“What happened to Mr. Soegiarto is nothing short of a tragedy for his family and the nation”, said Try “You can be sure that we will do all that is necessary to hunt the perpretators of this uncivilized act.”
10th February 2000:
President Try presided over Soegiarto’s funeral at the Kalibata Heroes’ Cemetery today, being the first to shovel dirt on Soegiarto’s coffin and saluting it.
At Golkar National Headquarters, Golkar Secretary ZA Maulani announced that out of respect for Soegiarto’s death, the Golkar Central Java Provincial Congress will be delayed by a week.
11th February 2000:
Still in mourning, Try was in the mood for silence and contemplation for Friday prayer. During lunch, Edi reported that “jockeying” has already begun. There’s a growing sentiment in the Army officer corps that Agum Gumelar should be the new Chairman of BP-7 though that sentiment seemed to be driven by the fact that should Agum be appointed to the position left behind by Soegiarto, there would be a need for a new Army Chief of Staff for which there are many contenders.
Try ended the day meeting with Ginandjar Kartasasmita and BJ Habibie. Habibie conveyed a message from Germany’s Chancellor Schroder that Indonesia’s abstaining from the IMF Managing Director’s vote won’t effect Indonesian-German relations. Try asked both men to continue maintaining their relationships with their contacts in Japan and Germany. It would do well for Indonesia to have an informal channel to the world’s second and third largest economies.
14th February 2000:
The President and his delegation landed at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this morning where he was welcomed by Yang Dipertoan Agong Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Azis Shah. After a short meeting, the President and his delegation headed out from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya to meet Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Try was accompanied by Ginandjar Kartasasmita while Badawi was accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Rafidah Azis. The President and Badawi discussed various matters among others:
*Try said that it’s his intention to back the Philippines in its effort to crush the MILF rebels. Badawi is still ambivalent about siding with the Philippines.
*Try brought up the issue of radicalism. Badawi said that Abu Bakar Basyir is “Well-hidden” in Maaysia though his government is keeping up surveillance. They both agree to increase cooperation especially as regards the movement of Indonesians and Malaysians between each other’s borders.
*Badawi says he understood the circumstances surrounding Indonesia’s planned abstention from the IMF Managing Director vote.
At the joint press conference between himself and Badawi, Try was asked about Soegiarto’s assassination and whether that has affected his stance towards what’s happening in the Philippines.
“I think whether it takes the form of a political assassination or a group of secessionists trying to break from the nation and bombs as we have seen in the Philippines, radicalism or extremism, however you want to call it, is something that you have to stand up against”, Try said.
The night saw Try feted in a State Dinner by the Yang Dipertoan Agung before returning to Kuala Lumpur.
15th February 2000:
Try breakfasted with former Prime Minister Mahathir who was congratulary and said that “The IMF is angry with you because you beat them at their own game.”
After spending some time with Indonesian migrant workers accompanied by Head of BNP2TKI Tosari Widjaja, Try got on the Presidential plane and departed for Johor Bahru.
Mid-flight, he received a call from President Joseph Estrada of the Philippines saying that the latter had begun operations against the MILF. Estrada said that he appreciated Try’s support.
At Johor Bahru, Try was accompanied by Minister of Economics and National Development Planning Soedradjad Djiwandono, Minister of Trade Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, and State Minister for Development of Eastern Indonesia and Special Economic Zones Jusuf Kalla. Badawi was accompanied by Minister of Trade and Industry Najib Razak. The two delegations were joined by a Singaporean delegation comprising of Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, Minister of National Development Mah Bow Tan, and Minister of Trade and Industry George Yeo.
The three delegations were there to discuss the Singapore-Johor-Riau (Sijori) cooperation which had been conducted in 1994. All agreed that cooperation should continue and intensify the cooperation. For Indonesia’s part, it secured infrastructure investment in archipelagic Riau.
16th February 2000:
Try and his delegation crossed the causeway from Johor Bahru into Singapore. He was welcomed with a breakfast with President SR Nathan.
After breakfast was a meeting with Goh Chok Tong and Minister of Foreign Affairs Shanmugam Jayakumar. Goh agreed and committed Singapore to Indonesia’s stance that the Philippines should be backed but that it would be better if Malaysia also supports Indonesia’s stance as well.
From the meeting with Goh, Try inaugurated the BKPM’s office in Singapore. Head of BKPM Mari Elka Pangestu said that this will be the BKPM’s first of many overseas offices which will aim to actively promote investment in Indonesia.
The final meeting before leaving from Singapore was a private audience with Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew. The blunt talking statesman told Try that Indonesia is the largest nation in Southeast Asia, largest Muslim country in the world, largest archipelago, a respected nation in the non-aligned world and most recently the first nation in Southeast Asia to overcome the Asian Financial Crisis. Lee said certainly there’s more that Indonesia could have done when Clinton told it to abstain from the IMF Managing Director’s vote. At the very least, there’s more that Indonesia could do so that it could stand up to US pressure better “next time”.
Arriving at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, Try immediately met with Wismoyo Arismunandar, Wiranto, Ari Sudewo, Army Chief of Staff Agum Gumelar, Navy Chief of Staff Indroko Sastrowiryono, Air Force Chief of Staff Hanafie Asnan, Luthfi Dahlan, and Deputy Commander of ABRI Johnny Lumintang.
Try ordered the Navy to step up its patrols around Indonesia and the Philippines’ maritime borders at the north of Sulawesi. Anyone coming from the Philippines should be handed to the relevant Filipino authorities because Indonesia “Doesn’t want any MILF rebels looking for refuge in Indonesia”.
There was happier news from Luthfi Dahlan. The Chief of Police reported that while the President was in Malaysia, Soegiarto’s assassin had been shot dead while putting up resistance. The assassin was a mechanic by the name of Amrozi bin Nurhasyim. Ari Sudewo reported that Amrozi was a student of Abu Bakar Bashir.
17th February 2000:
Ari Sudewo and Luthfi Dahlan held a joint press conference to brief the nation about the assassination of Soegiarto and its atermath. It was the first time that the Indonesian nation was introduced to the name Abu Bakar Bashir and the organization that he had established in Malaysia, Jemaah Islamiyah.
The President had lunch with Chairman of DPR Harmoko. Harmoko informed Try that Hartono and the Tutut supporters were still playing the game of agreeing to whatever the government proposes so it is difficult to gauge how much support they have among Golkar’s DPR members at the moment.
18th February 2000:
Minister of Social Affairs Meutia Hatta announced that the President has approved of a proposal aimed at improving the livelihoods of the elderly. This proposal will mean the enactment of identity cards with no expiry dates for those aged over 65, mandating public facilities like transportation and museums to have cheaper senior citizen tickets, and making places more wheelchair friendly.
As the week came to an end, Try dropped by Edi’s office where the State Secretary and Deputy State Secretary Soedibyo Rahardjo was deep in discussion. Try told the two about his conversation with Lee Kuan Yew this past week and asked for their opinion on it, especially from Soedibyo Rahardjo since he had been Ambassador to Singapore.
“From where I sit, I think he’s saying that Indonesia a big nation and shouldn’t be afraid of asserting itself or positioning itself s that it can be more assertive on the regional or international stage”, said Soedibyo “We shouldn’t start going on Soekarno-style foreign adventures but we probably could have more of a presence than the previous government.”
19th February 2000:
Abdurrahman Wahid had a special guest on this Saturday after dinner in the form of Taufiq Kiemas. They talked about mundane matters before going on to talk about political matters and the conversation with Hendropriyono some days ago.
“Can it be done,
Gus?” asked Taufiq “Is there a way for Mega to be a part of the President’s coalition?”
“You’ll have to offer him something more than 11 seats in the DPR assuming Mega wins the Chairwomanship”, said Wahid “This is a coalition that has the Chairman of the DPR, a technologist, an old officer who stood with Soeharto in 1965, the Chairman of the PPP, and then you’ve also got the Chairmen of NU and Muhammadiyah.”
“What about Soekarno’s daughter?” challenged Taufiq.
“We have Hatta’s daughter if we want to play that game”, replied Wahid.
Taufiq seems exasperated.
“Anyway”, Wahid began “I think both you and I know that Mega’s probably not interested in a coalition with the President anyway. She’s interested in something more than just a coalition. Soeharto wouldn’t be that scared of her if she was merely interested in being part of the political system. Try wouldn’t be that annoyed if he believed that Mega “merely” wants to prepare for the 2001 PDI National Congress.”
Taufiq was about to say something when Yenny, Wahid’s eldest daughter interrupted.
“Dad”, she said “Something’s happening.”
Yenny and Taufiq guided Wahid to the living room where the television was broadcasting scenes from the Golkar Central Java Provincial Congress where the delegates were exchanging punches with each other. There were chairs overturned and yellow jackets ripped as delegates to the congress ignored the calls to calm down and continued punching each other.
“Viewers across the nation”, began a voiceover speaking to the audience “We’re live here from the Golkar Central Java Provincial Congress where former Governor of Central Java Soewardi has just been declared elected as the new Chairman of Golkar’s Central Java Provincial Branch.
There were some protests from the supporters of the now-outgoing Chairman Alip Pandoyo to the organizing committee of the provincial congress about the way the congress was conducted but this was ignored. Some taunting went on by the Soewardi supporters which escalated to Alip Pandoyo supporters throwing bottles and food and which led to what you’re seeing now…
This is a surreal sight...this is something that has become custom in a PDI Congress but it is nothing short of unreal to see Golkar members openly and physically fighting with each other…”
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Well just as Try put behind the crisis and the IMF behind him, there are some things that require his attention.
Just as in OTL Tommy Soeharto is acquitted at the District Court stage and the government responded by appealing to the Supreme Court.
Quraish Shihab's sermon based on the 4th paragraph of this article:
https://www.islamramah.co/2018/11/2249/quraish-shihab-pancasila-pakaian-kita-sebagai-bangsa.html
I wanted radicalism to make a dramatic entrance in this TL. Here it takes the form of Amrozi (The OTL smiling Bali bomber) striking a blow against the government by killing its ideological chief. Note how Try was indecisive about what his stance should be to the MILF separatists in the Philippines before Soegiarto’s assassination but all of a sudden wants to take a hardline stance after Soegiarto’s assassination.
Try and Soegiarto being the first of their generation to become brigadiers general and being told to report to Soeharto comes from:
http://soeharto.co/soegiarto-pak-harto-melakukan-rekayasa-dan-kaderisasi-untuk-pembangunan/
And then of course you have Golkar vs. Golkar…