Adam Malik Third Vice President of Indonesia 1978-1983 Date of Birth: 22.07.1917 Country: Indonesia

1. Biography of Adam Malik
2. Early Life and Political Career
3. Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Roles
4. Later Years and Legacy

Biography of Adam Malik

Adam Malik, born on 22 July 1917, was a renowned Indonesian diplomat and politician. He served as the Third Vice President of Indonesia from 1978 to 1983. Throughout his career, Malik held various positions, including President of the United Nations General Assembly, Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia.

Early Life and Political Career

Adam Malik was born in Pematangsiantar, North Sumatra, Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), to Abdul Malik and Salamah Lubis. After completing his incomplete secondary school education, Malik worked as a store owner. During his free time, he avidly read books to expand his knowledge. Malik developed an early interest in politics and became the chairman of the local branch of the Indonesian Party (Partindo) at the age of 17. In this position, he campaigned for Indonesia's independence from Dutch colonial administration. Malik was imprisoned for his participation in this campaign, as it violated the colonial administration's ban on political activities. After his release, Malik moved from Pematangsiantar to Jakarta.

In Jakarta, Malik pursued a career in journalism and worked for Partindo's magazine and the Pelita Andalas newspaper. In 1937, Malik co-founded the ANTARA news agency, which later became Indonesia's national news agency. Malik played a significant role in the events leading to Indonesia's independence. On 16 August 1945, Malik and other young independence supporters kidnapped nationalist leaders Sukarno and Hatta. They brought them to the city of Rengasdengklok and demanded the proclamation of Indonesia's independence. By that time, Japanese occupying forces had left the country. Sukarno and Hatta proclaimed independence on 17 August 1945, with Sukarno becoming the first President of Indonesia and Hatta the first Vice President.

After the proclamation of independence, Malik founded the MURBA party and used it as a platform to advance his candidacy in parliament. He also held the position of the Third Deputy Chairman of the Central Indonesian National Committee. Turning his focus to diplomacy, Malik embarked on a career as a diplomat, serving as Indonesia's ambassador to the Soviet Union and Poland from 1959 to 1962. He also played a crucial role in the negotiations for the transfer of West Irian (now West Papua) to Indonesia. Malik served as the Minister of Trade and later as the Minister of Implementation of Guided Economy in Sukarno's cabinet. Together with Sukarno, Malik founded the organization "Preservation of Sukarnoism" (BPS), which aimed to give Sukarno's ideas an anti-communist meaning and use the president's name to fight against the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). However, in 1965, BPS was banned after Sukarno became aware of its efforts. Malik faced active criticism from the PKI due to his anti-communist views.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Roles

In 1966, it became evident that Sukarno had lost executive power in Indonesia. By his decree known as Supersemar, Sukarno transferred his authority to General Suharto. Although Sukarno remained as the President, power effectively rested in the hands of Suharto. Shortly after, a new cabinet was formed, and Malik assumed the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs. Malik, Suharto, and Hamengkubuwono IX formed a triumvirate with the aim of completely altering Sukarno's policies.

As Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malik made trips to Western countries to negotiate the rescheduling of Indonesian debts. In 1966, he left the MURBA party to align with the economic policies of the new regime, as MURBA opposed foreign investments. In 1967, Malik, along with the Foreign Ministers of Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore, signed the ASEAN Declaration, establishing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). During the signing, Malik proposed the formation of a united front to combat communist expansion in Vietnam. In 1968, Suharto was elected President of Indonesia, and Malik retained his position as Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 1970, he solidified his position by joining the pro-government Golkar organization. Malik also desired to represent Indonesia, replacing Sukarno in meetings with other world leaders, as Sukarno showed little interest in foreign policy during the early years of his presidency.

Later Years and Legacy

As Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malik had disagreements with Suharto's close generals, particularly regarding Indonesia's foreign policy in Southeast Asia. The generals wanted closer security cooperation within ASEAN and advocated for sending Indonesian troops to support South Vietnam. On the other hand, Malik insisted on maintaining ASEAN as an economic cooperation platform only, rejecting military collaboration. Suharto supported Malik's position. Malik also took a softer stance towards the People's Republic of China, which Suharto's regime viewed as an ally of the defeated Indonesian Communist Party.

In 1971, Adam Malik was elected as the President of the United Nations General Assembly. He played a role in the events following the proclamation of independence by East Timor from Portugal. Malik assured the East Timorese delegation, led by Jose Ramos-Horta, that Indonesia would not interfere in the crisis. However, in 1975, military pressures convinced Suharto to invade East Timor, leading to its occupation and eventual incorporation into Indonesia.

In 1977, Malik left his position as Minister of Foreign Affairs to become the Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the Speaker of the People's Representative Council (DPR). However, his tenure in these roles was short-lived. In March 1978, Suharto was reelected as President for a third term. Expecting Hamengkubuwono IX to become the Vice President again, Suharto was surprised when he refused the appointment. After considering several candidates, Suharto appointed Adam Malik as the Vice President.

As Vice President, Malik fearlessly criticized the government. In 1979, he acknowledged that the existing regime had violated the spirit of the 1945 Constitution. Furthermore, Malik likened Suharto's rule to feudalism, stating that it resembled the reign of feudal kings in Java. In 1981, Malik spoke out against the corruption within the regime, describing it as an "epidemic."

In 1983, after the completion of his term, Malik stepped down as Vice President and was succeeded by Umar Wirahadikusumah. Adam Malik passed away on 5 September 1984 in Bandung, West Java, due to liver cancer. He was posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjold Prize by the United Nations in 1982. Malik is also recognized as a National Hero of Indonesia for his significant contributions to the country.