Sudirman, Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces Elected by Voting

Sudirman was elected as Commander of the People's Security Army (TKR) through a voting. Colonel Sudirman, Commander of the Banyumas TKR Regiment, Central Java received a majority of the votes at the TKR Conference in Yogyakarta, 12 November 1945.

"At that time the TNI commander was not appointed by the President, for the first and only time. Pak Sudirman was chosen based on the majority of votes," said historian Mansoer Hidayat.

Mansoer said that the revolutionary situation at that time made the condition of Indonesia, which had just been proclaimed, still an emergency, including military matters. The seeds for the birth of the TKR which later became the TNI today came from the People's Security Agency (BKR).

The BKR itself was a body formed by the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI) in a session on August 22, 1945. The task of BKR was to maintain security together with the people and state agencies.

At first, PPKI in its first session on August 19, 1945 proposed the establishment of the State Defense Agency. The proposal was rejected by Japan, on the grounds that it could provoke clashes between the Japanese occupation troops who were still fully armed. Because Japan, which at that time had surrendered to the Allied Forces, was responsible for maintaining Indonesia's security until the Allied Forces arrived.

PPKI on August 20, 1945 also established the Agency for Helping Families of War Victims (BPKKP) and BKR was formed as part of the agency on August 22, 1945. The function of the BKR itself replaced the BPP (Auxiliary Body for Soldiers) which had been formed by Japan and had been changed to the Auxiliary Defense Agency (BPP).

"At that time we were not allowed to form an army, it was like an institution under the Ministry of Social Affairs," he said.

Then Soekarno on August 23, 1945 issued an appeal via radio requesting that the youths of former Heiho, Peta, Seinendan, Keibodan and others to join the People's Security Agency (BKR). Alumni figures from these various elements responded by forming the structure and management of BKR in the regions.

Due to the revolutionary situation, the Regional BKR, including Malang led by Imam Soedjai, carried out a series of takeovers of weapons from the Japanese army.

"Beginning of October around 1-4, the BKR finished taking weapons from the Japanese army. So on October 5, the TKR was formed which is now TNI day," he explained.

The formation of the TKR based on the Decree of the Indonesian Government on October 5, 1945 was signed by President Soekarno. TKR was formed as a result of improving the function of the already formed BKR.

President Soekarno also appointed former Peta (Defender of the Homeland) soldier, Soedancoh Soeprijadi, as Minister of People's Security.

Soeprijadi was chosen because of his role in the Peta Blitar rebellion, although since this incident he has never been seen until now. In addition, Soekarno also appointed the former KNIL (Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Leger), Oerip Soemoharjo as TKR's Chief of General Staff.

The condition of the TKR at that time did not have a commander, because the Minister of People's Security appointed by the President was unknown. Troops fought without a command from the center and the battle was led by each commander in the field.

This condition made Oerip Soemoharjo urge the appointment of the TKR Commander and find a replacement for Soeprijadi. But the desire did not get a quick response from the Government.

Oerip considered it very urgent, so he held an Army Conference in Yogjakarta, November 12, 1945. The conference invited officers with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and above as well as representatives of officers' bodies and laskars.

The figures who attended included General (Titoelar) Pakubuwono XII, Hamengku Buwono IX, Paku Alam VIII and Mangku Buwono VIII. While representing the Government, Amir Syarifudin and Syahrir.

The process of selecting the TKR Commander at the Conference has a story of the tension of each of the supporters. Colonel Sudirman was in close competition with Lieutenant General Oerip Soemoharjo.

From the start, the conference was indeed an arena of competition between the former Dutch-formed KNIL and Japanese-formed Peta. This was shown by Oriep who was an alumnus of KNIL and Sudirman from Peta.

Although there were no incidents of physical altercations, the meeting participants were judged to be disorderly. The officers were described came to the meeting with guns at their waists and the meeting was chaotic. Speakers at the forum were booed, including the official Minister of Defense, Imam Muhammad Suliyoadikusumo, who was asked to step down during his speech.

Seven names were included in the candidates for Commander in Chief, namely Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX, Nasir (Seafarer and had worked in the Japanese Navy), Wijoyo Suryo Kusumo, GPH Purwo Negoro, Admiral M Pardi (Head of Marine TKR), Suryadi Surya Darma (Once served as Air Force Chief of Staff), Sudirman and Oerip Soemoharjo.

But during the follow-up elections, only two names remained, namely Sudirman and Oerip Soemoharjo. The second vote chose the best of the two people until Sudirman finally got a narrow victory.

Sudirman's victory caused an uproar and the voters were banging on the table as a sign of victory. "Soedirman was elected by 23 votes, while Oerip Soemoharjo with 21 votes,".

The conference also appointed Sultan Hamengku Buwono as Minister of Defense.

Oerip could not accept the defeat. Oerip submitted his resignation from the Army and TKR's Chief of Staff, although Soekarno did not allow it.

Meanwhile, even though Sudirman had been elected, political problems prevented him from being immediately appointed as TKR Commander. It is said that Amir Syarifudin (Minister of Defense) and Syahrir (Prime Minister) did not approve of Sudirman.

At that time Sudirman was still carrying out his duties as a soldier and the incident of Palagan Ambarawa, December 12, 1945, became a test to prove his abilities.

At that time, Ambarawa was surrounded by British troops, Sudirman and his troops still chose to fight. As a result, the 4-day battle succeeded in repelling the British troops.

This success is said to have made the government soften and acknowledge Sudirman's greatness. Finally Sudirman was appointed as Commander of the TKR on December 18, 1945 by President Soekarno. But it was a different story with Sultan Hamengku Buwono who at the conference was appointed as Minister of Defense.