Page 79 - BUKU A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE IN INDONESIA

A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE
IN INDONESIA

LINGGARJATI AGREEMENT

AND THE DUTCH MILITARY

OFFENSIVES

FOR KNIP, 1947 was a year full of uncertainty. The Dutch Military Ag-
gressions I and II were launched in the Republic’s center of activities,
making it difficult for BP KNIP to hold its sessions. Even in the Republic-
controlled cities, such as Yogyakarta and Purworejo, the atmosphere of
uncertainty also affected residents’ activities. However, led by Mr. As-
saat, BP KNIP continued to carry out his duties. The committee carried
out various discussions, starting from a discussion on the composition
of KNIP members by the government, a discussion on defense and se-
curity, a discussion on the relations with the Netherlands, to issues of
citizenship and regional administration.

In early 1947, specifically from February 25 to March 5, KNIP held its
fifth plenary session in Malang, East Java — the Republic’s power base.
Malang was chosen as the venue for the session with careful consider-
ations of defense and security, as well as facilities and infrastructure.

After all, the KNIP Plenary Session was a major event for Indonesian de-
mocracy in the revolutionary period. After this session, BP KNIP returned
to its duties as the “executive” of the legislative body that supported the
works of the government of the Republic of Indonesia. Serving as the
venue for the fifth KNIP Plenary Session, Malang experienced an in-
crease in activities in early 1947 due to the influx of KNIP and regional
KNI members from around Indonesia in the city. TNI and Polri were re-
sponsible for the city’s security approaching and during the session. The
two institutions performed well, as proven by a report explaining how
their guardianship resulted in a very conducive environment.

On the last day of the Plenary Session, the Linggarjati Agreement was
officially approved and ratified. The KNIP legislature officially accepted
that territories of the Republic of Indonesia were limited to Java, Madura
and Sumatra.

The daily newspaper Pandji Rakjat reported KNIP’s acceptance of the
Linggarjati Agreement in a concise and clear manner:

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