Page 48 - BUKU A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE IN INDONESIA

FROM VOLKSRAAD TO THE CENTRAL INDONESIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
(1917–1949)

The group that voted against Soetardjo’s Petition argued that the Indone-
sian people were not mature enough to be independent, while those in
favor of Soetardjo’s Petition argued otherwise, insisting that the Indone-
sian people were mature enough to stand on their own. They also urged
the government to grant the people more rights they should have had.

However, what was clear was that the Dutch Parliament denied
Soetardjo’s Petition on the grounds that it was not yet time for the
Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies to sit at the table as equals. This
rejection was stated in the Decree of the Kingdom of Netherlands on
November 16, 1938.

The rejection of Soetardjo’s Petition was a great blow to the movement,
especially to the moderates. The failure of the Petition which was sup-
ported by the national movement whipped the national movement to
demand and rearrange their ranks in a united organization called the
Indonesian Political Association (GAPI), on 21 May 1939. The association
openly voiced a demand of “Parliament for Indonesia” .

The failure of Soetardjo’s Petition also provided a turning point in the
people’s attitude towards the Dutch East Indies Colonial Government.
The people, previously cooperative, began to accumulate distrust to-
wards the government and would later raise a stronger drive to seek full
autonomy.

The desire of the people of the Dutch East Indies to fight for indepen-
dence became even stronger after the formation of GAPI as a unifying
forum. From there, the strategy of the Volksraad members, who were part
of the movement organizations and political parties, began to polarize.

Outside the Volksraad, national movements united, although within the
Volksraad their voices were divided. The rift was particularly apparent
within the National Faction. After the opening of the new Volksraad in
1939, the National Faction was revisited. Yamin, who in 1939 became
a member of the Volksraad, devised a plan, which, in some ways, was
greater than the plan devised by Thamrin.

Yamin suggested the National Faction to formulate a program that would
be announced to all Indonesians. The aim was to stop criticism that the
National Faction had only represented Java and not for regions outside
Java.

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