Page 35 - BUKU A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE IN INDONESIA

A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE
IN INDONESIA

1921–1923:

DECENTRALIZATION AND VOTING RIGHTS

FOR BUMIPUTRA

The first Volksraad extraordinary session in the new period convened on
April 4, 1921, and Mr. Dr. W. M. G. Schumann was once again chair. Twenty-two

members attended the session; Muurling also returned to represent the colonial
government.

ON May 17, 1921, a new member, H. Agus Salim, was introduced in the
session. He had succeeded Cokroaminoto in Sarekat Islam. The session
discussed reviewing the laws that would see a greater right of autonomy
for colonies.

In late December 1921, R. M. A. A. Kusumo Utoyo took part in the Com-
mittee voor de Autonomie van Indie (Autonomy Committee of the Indies)
with R. T. A. Wiranata Kusuma and R.A.A. Achmad Jayadiningrat, who
was chairman. The three regents seemed to be selected based on their
reputation as capable and progressive.

The committee was established to build a narrative to influence public
opinion in the Dutch East Indies and the Netherlands. In early 1922, this
committee sent several delegates to the Netherlands, where a parlia-
mentary election was taking place. The delegates were expected to in-
fluence the parliament members in the Netherlands to support greater
autonomy in the Dutch East Indies.

During the extraordinary session in 1921, 17 amendments covering two
main issues were proposed. One of the amendments raised during the
session included de behandeling van het voorstel tot herziening der
Grondwet (discussion on the proposal to review the Constitution). Six-
teen others pertained to the articles in the Constitution.

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