Sayuti Melik Biography

Sayuti Melik's one of the figures behind the Indonesian Independence Proclamation.

Mohamad Ibnu Sayuti or better known as Sayuti Melik, was born on November 22, 1908 in Kadisobo, Rejodani, Sleman, Yogyakarta. He is the husband of Soerastri Karma Trimurti, a journalist and female activist in the era of movement and era after independence. His father was named Abdul Muin alias Partoprawito a head of a district in Sleman, Yogyakarta, while his mother was named Sumilah. He began his education from Ongko Loro School (Elementary School Level) in Srowulan Village until grade IV and continued until he got a diploma in Yogyakarta. The year 1920 continued to Teacher's school in Solo. When studying at the teacher's school, he studied nationalism from his Dutch history teacher, H. Zurink.

In 1926, he was arrested by the Dutch for being accused of assisting the PKI and subsequently banished to Boven Digul (1927-1933). Britain was arrested in 1936 and imprisoned in Singapore for a year. After being expelled from the British territory, he was arrested again by the Dutch and taken to Jakarta, entered a cell in the Middle Gang (1937-1938).

In 1938 he also founded the Pesat newspaper with his wife in Semarang, which was published three times a week. Because he was still earning a small income, he and his wife carried out various jobs ranging from editorial to distribution. During the Japanese occupation, March 1942 the Pesat newspaper was banned by Japan.

Sayuti Melik belonged to the Menteng 31 group who played a role in the kidnapping of Soekarno and Hatta on August 16, 1945 or better known as the Rengasdengklok Event. In this event, they again convinced Soekarno that Japan had surrendered and the fighters were ready to fight Japan. In Jakarta, young people are represented by Wikana and the old class, Mr. Ahmad Soebardjo negotiated and Mr. Ahmad Soebardjo agreed to proclaim Indonesian independence in Jakarta.

The concept of the text of the proclamation was composed by Bung Karno, Bung Hatta and Ahmad Soebardjo at the home of Admiral Tadashi Maeda on Imam Bonjol street, No. 1, Central Jakarta. Youth representatives, Sukarni and Sayuti Melik also witnessed the event. In this tense atmosphere, Sayuti gave the idea that the text of the proclamation was signed by Bung Karno and Bung Hatta only, on behalf of the Indonesian nation. His proposal was accepted and Bung Karno immediately ordered Sayuti to type it. He changed the sentence "Deputy Indonesian people" to "On behalf of the Indonesian people".

After independence, even though he was a Sukarno supporter, when Sukarno came to power, he opposed the Nasakom idea (Nationalist, religious, communism). He proposed replacing Nasakom with Nasasos, by changing communism to socialism. He also opposed the appointment of Bung Karno as president for life by the MPRS.

After the New Order, Sayuti flew again in the political sphere. He became a member of the DPR / MPR, representing the Golkar Group (Golkar) election results in 1971 and the 1977 elections.

During his lifetime he won several awards including the fifth-level Mahaputra Bintang in 1961 from President Soekarno and Bintang Mahaputra Adipradana (II) from President Soeharto in 1973. Sayuti died on February 27, 1989 after a year of illness and was buried in the Heroes Cemetery.