Sultan Hamid II
Encyclopedia
Sultan Hamid II, born Syarif Abdul Hamid Alkadrie (12 July 1913 - 30 March 1978) was the last Sultan of Pontianak
and the only President of the State of West Kalimantan
from 1946 to its disestablishment in 1950. He was the eldest son of Sultan Syarif Muhammad Alkadrie. He was of mixed Arab Indonesian
ancestry and was raised by two British
nationals— Salome Catherine Fox and Edith Maud Curteis.
His wife was a young Dutch woman who bore him two children – both reside in the Netherlands
. During the Indonesian National Revolution
, he was sympathetic to the returning Dutch and their attempts to implement a federal Republic of the United States of Indonesia
, viewing the unitary
Republic of Indonesia as an extension of Javanese domination. He was also a colonel
in the Royal Dutch East Indies Army and designed the Indonesian coat of arms
—Garuda Pancasila.
foster-mother Salome Catherine Fox and fellow British expatriate Edith Maud Curteis. Salome Fox was the sister of the head of a British trading firm based in Singapore
. Under their tutelage, Hamid became fluent in the English language
. In 1933, Miss Fox died but he still remained in touch with her companion Curteis.
Syarif was educated at several Europeesche Lagene Schools (European Language Schools) in Sukabumi
, Pontianak
, Yogyakarta and Bandung
. He studied for one year at a Hogere Burger School (Senior High School) in Bandung but did not graduate from THS Bandung. Syarif completed his studies at the Koninklijke Militaire Academie
in Breda
, Holland; graduating with the rank of lieutenant in the Royal Dutch East Indies Army.
in 10 March 1942, he was interned by the Japanese for three years in a Java
nese prison camp due to close ties with the Dutch. Hamid’s resentment towards the Japanese occupiers was affected by the murders of 28 relatives and his mentor Miss Curteis. Following the Japanese surrender
and defeat on 15 August 1945, Hamid was liberated by the returning Allied Powers that landed in Indonesia. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of colonel by the returning Dutch.
On 29 October 1945, he succeeded his father as the Sultan of Pontianak, adopting the title Sultan Hamid II. During the Indonesian National Revolution
, Sultan Hamid II acquired an important position as a delegate for the State of West Kalimantan and always participated in negotiations at Malino
, Denpasar, the Federal Consultative Assembly
(BFO) and the Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference
in Indonesia and the Netherlands. As an active leader in the BFO, he was a firm supporter of federalism and opposed President
Sukarno
's concept of a unitary
Indonesian Republic due to its domination by the Javanese.
Sultan Hamid II quickly ascended to the position of Adjudant in Buitengewone Dienst bij HM de Koningin der Nederlanden (Adjutant in the Extraordinary Service of Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands), which is the highest position as assistant to the Dutch Queen. As a colonel, he was the first Indonesian to acquire a significant military position in the colonial army. Due to international opposition to Dutch attempts to reinstate control over Indonesia in the United Nations
, the Dutch were forced to recognize Sukarno’s Republic as the de facto government of Java and Sumatra and to grant independence to a Republic of the United States of Indonesia
on 27 December 1949.
but held no portfolio. This Cabinet was headed by Prime Minister Mohammad Hatta
and included 11 Republicans and five Federalists. This federal government was short-lived due to conflicting differences between the Republicans and the Federalists as well as growing popular support for a unitary state
.
Hamid II would subsequently conspire with the former KNIL Captain Raymond Westerling
to organize an anti-Republican coup
in Bandung
and Jakarta
. Westerling’s Angkatan Perang Ratu Adil (APRA, Legion of Ratu Adil
) comprised elements of the KNIL, the Regiment Special Forces, the Royal Netherlands Army
and several Dutch nationals including two police inspectors. On 23 January 1950, APRA overwhelmed the small RUSI garrison and occupied parts of Bandung until they were driven away by reinforcements under Major General Engels.
On 26 January 1950, elements of Westerling’s forces infiltrated Jakarta as part of a coup d’état to overthrow the RUSI Cabinet. They also planned to assassinate several prominent Republican figures including the Defense Minister Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX and Secretary-General Ali Budiardjo. However, they were intercepted and forced to flee by Indonesian military forces. Meanwhile, Westerling was forced to flee to Singapore and APRA had ceased to function by February 1950.
Evidence from arrested co-conspirators led to the incarceration of Hamid II on April 5. By April 19, Hamid II had confessed to his involvement in the botched Jakarta coup and to planning an abortive second attack on Parliament scheduled for February 15. Due to the presence of RUSI troops, the attack was aborted. The role of the Pasundan government in the coup led to its dissolution by February 10, further undermining the federal structure. By late March 1950, Hamid’s West Kalimantan was one of the four remaining federal states in the United States of Indonesia.
Hamid’s role in the coup led to increased agitation in West Kalimantan for its integration into the Republic of Indonesia. Following a fact-finding mission by the Government Commission, the RUSI House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly by a margin of 50 to one votes to merge West Kalimantan into the Republic of Indonesia. Following clashes with demobilized KNIL troops in Makassar
and the attempted secession of an Ambonese
Republic of South Moluccas, the federal United States of Indonesia was dissolved on 17 August 1950, turning Indonesia into a unitary state dominated by the central government in Jakarta.
Pontianak Sultanate
Pontianak Sultanate or Kesultanan Pontianak is a monarchy in the province of Pontianak, Indonesia.-History:Pontianak Sultanate was founded in 1771 by explorers from Hadhramaut led by al-Sayyid Syarif Abdurrahman al-Kadrie, descendants of Imam Ali ar-Ridha...
and the only President of the State of West Kalimantan
West Kalimantan
West Kalimantan is a province of Indonesia. It is one of four Indonesian provinces in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. Its capital city Pontianak is located right on the Equator....
from 1946 to its disestablishment in 1950. He was the eldest son of Sultan Syarif Muhammad Alkadrie. He was of mixed Arab Indonesian
Arab Indonesian
Arab Indonesians are citizens of Indonesia of Arab, mainly Hadrami, descent. Restricted under Dutch East Indies' law until 1919, the community elites later gained economic power through real estate investment and trading...
ancestry and was raised by two British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
nationals— Salome Catherine Fox and Edith Maud Curteis.
His wife was a young Dutch woman who bore him two children – both reside in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. During the Indonesian National Revolution
Indonesian National Revolution
The Indonesian National Revolution or Indonesian War of Independence was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between Indonesia and the Dutch Empire, and an internal social revolution...
, he was sympathetic to the returning Dutch and their attempts to implement a federal Republic of the United States of Indonesia
Republic of the United States of Indonesia
The Republic of the United States of Indonesia , also abbreviated as RUSI, was a federal state to which the Netherlands formally transferred sovereignty of the Dutch East Indies on 27 December 1949 following the Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference...
, viewing the unitary
Unitary state
A unitary state is a state governed as one single unit in which the central government is supreme and any administrative divisions exercise only powers that their central government chooses to delegate...
Republic of Indonesia as an extension of Javanese domination. He was also a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the Royal Dutch East Indies Army and designed the Indonesian coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
—Garuda Pancasila.
Childhood and Education
Until the age of 12, Hamid was raised by ScottishScottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
foster-mother Salome Catherine Fox and fellow British expatriate Edith Maud Curteis. Salome Fox was the sister of the head of a British trading firm based in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Under their tutelage, Hamid became fluent in the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. In 1933, Miss Fox died but he still remained in touch with her companion Curteis.
Syarif was educated at several Europeesche Lagene Schools (European Language Schools) in Sukabumi
Sukabumi
Sukabumi is a city surrounded by the regency of the same name in the highlands of West Java, Indonesia, about south of the national capital, Jakarta....
, Pontianak
Pontianak, Indonesia
Pontianak is the capital of the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan. It is a medium-size industrial city on the island of Borneo. Pontianak occupies an area of 107.82 km² in the delta of the Kapuas River...
, Yogyakarta and Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
. He studied for one year at a Hogere Burger School (Senior High School) in Bandung but did not graduate from THS Bandung. Syarif completed his studies at the Koninklijke Militaire Academie
Koninklijke Militaire Academie
The Royal Military Academy is the service academy for the Dutch Army and the Dutch Air Force. Located in Breda, the Netherlands, the KMA has trained future officers since 1828.-Description:...
in Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
, Holland; graduating with the rank of lieutenant in the Royal Dutch East Indies Army.
Japanese Occupation and the Indonesian Revolution
Following the Japanese occupation of IndonesiaJapanese Occupation of Indonesia
The Japanese Empire occupied Indonesia, known then as the Dutch East Indies, during World War II from March 1942 until after the end of War in 1945...
in 10 March 1942, he was interned by the Japanese for three years in a Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
nese prison camp due to close ties with the Dutch. Hamid’s resentment towards the Japanese occupiers was affected by the murders of 28 relatives and his mentor Miss Curteis. Following the Japanese surrender
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
and defeat on 15 August 1945, Hamid was liberated by the returning Allied Powers that landed in Indonesia. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of colonel by the returning Dutch.
On 29 October 1945, he succeeded his father as the Sultan of Pontianak, adopting the title Sultan Hamid II. During the Indonesian National Revolution
Indonesian National Revolution
The Indonesian National Revolution or Indonesian War of Independence was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between Indonesia and the Dutch Empire, and an internal social revolution...
, Sultan Hamid II acquired an important position as a delegate for the State of West Kalimantan and always participated in negotiations at Malino
Malino Conference
The Dutch organised a conference in the Sulawesi town of Malino in July 1946 as part of their attempt to arrange a federal solution for Indonesia...
, Denpasar, the Federal Consultative Assembly
Federal Consultative Assembly
The Federal Consultative Assembly, or Bijeenkomst voor Federaal Overleg was a committee established by the Netherlands to administer the Republic of the United States of Indonesia during the Indonesian National Revolution . It consisted of the leaders of the 15 federal states and special...
(BFO) and the Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference
Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference
The Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference was held in the Hague from August 23 - November 2, 1949, between representatives of the Netherlands, the Republic of Indonesia and the BFO representing various states the Dutch had created in the Indonesian archipelago...
in Indonesia and the Netherlands. As an active leader in the BFO, he was a firm supporter of federalism and opposed President
President of Indonesia
The President of the Republic of Indonesia is the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Indonesia.The first president was Sukarno and the current president is Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.- Sukarno era :...
Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
's concept of a unitary
Unitary state
A unitary state is a state governed as one single unit in which the central government is supreme and any administrative divisions exercise only powers that their central government chooses to delegate...
Indonesian Republic due to its domination by the Javanese.
Sultan Hamid II quickly ascended to the position of Adjudant in Buitengewone Dienst bij HM de Koningin der Nederlanden (Adjutant in the Extraordinary Service of Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands), which is the highest position as assistant to the Dutch Queen. As a colonel, he was the first Indonesian to acquire a significant military position in the colonial army. Due to international opposition to Dutch attempts to reinstate control over Indonesia in the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, the Dutch were forced to recognize Sukarno’s Republic as the de facto government of Java and Sumatra and to grant independence to a Republic of the United States of Indonesia
Republic of the United States of Indonesia
The Republic of the United States of Indonesia , also abbreviated as RUSI, was a federal state to which the Netherlands formally transferred sovereignty of the Dutch East Indies on 27 December 1949 following the Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference...
on 27 December 1949.
The APRA Coup and Unitarianism
On December 17, 1949, Hamid II was appointed by Sukarno to the RUSI CabinetRepublic of the United States of Indonesia Cabinet
The Republic of the United States of Indonesia Cabinet was established as a result of the formation of the United States of Indonesia following the transfer of sovereignty from the Dutch colonial power...
but held no portfolio. This Cabinet was headed by Prime Minister Mohammad Hatta
Mohammad Hatta
was born in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Dutch East Indies . He was Indonesia's first vice president, later also serving as the country's Prime Minister. Known as "The Proclamator", he and a number of Indonesians, including the first president of Indonesia, Sukarno, fought for the independence of...
and included 11 Republicans and five Federalists. This federal government was short-lived due to conflicting differences between the Republicans and the Federalists as well as growing popular support for a unitary state
Unitary state
A unitary state is a state governed as one single unit in which the central government is supreme and any administrative divisions exercise only powers that their central government chooses to delegate...
.
Hamid II would subsequently conspire with the former KNIL Captain Raymond Westerling
Raymond Westerling
Raymond Pierre Paul Westerling , nicknamed the Turk, was a Dutch military officer. He waged a bloody occupation campaign in Sulawesi during the Indonesian National Revolution after the Second World War, and staged a coup d'état in Bandung and Jakarta in January 1950.-South Sulawesi:Westerling...
to organize an anti-Republican coup
APRA Coup d'état
The APRA Coup d'état was a coup d'état by Raymond Westerling's Legion of Ratu Adil to capture Bandung and Jakarta, and to overthrow Sukarno’s unitary Republic of Indonesia. Westerling sought to preserve the federal Republic of the United States of Indonesia, which retained the support of the...
in Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
and Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
. Westerling’s Angkatan Perang Ratu Adil (APRA, Legion of Ratu Adil
Legion of Ratu Adil
The Legion of Ratu Adil, also known as Angkatan Perang Ratu Adil or the Prince Justice Legion was a pro-Dutch militia and private army established during the Indonesian National Revolution. It was founded by the former KNIL captain Raymond Westerling following his demobilization on January 15 1949...
) comprised elements of the KNIL, the Regiment Special Forces, the Royal Netherlands Army
Royal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army is the land forces element of the military of the Netherlands.-Short history:The Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, but its origins date back to 1572, when the so-called Staatse Leger was raised...
and several Dutch nationals including two police inspectors. On 23 January 1950, APRA overwhelmed the small RUSI garrison and occupied parts of Bandung until they were driven away by reinforcements under Major General Engels.
On 26 January 1950, elements of Westerling’s forces infiltrated Jakarta as part of a coup d’état to overthrow the RUSI Cabinet. They also planned to assassinate several prominent Republican figures including the Defense Minister Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX and Secretary-General Ali Budiardjo. However, they were intercepted and forced to flee by Indonesian military forces. Meanwhile, Westerling was forced to flee to Singapore and APRA had ceased to function by February 1950.
Evidence from arrested co-conspirators led to the incarceration of Hamid II on April 5. By April 19, Hamid II had confessed to his involvement in the botched Jakarta coup and to planning an abortive second attack on Parliament scheduled for February 15. Due to the presence of RUSI troops, the attack was aborted. The role of the Pasundan government in the coup led to its dissolution by February 10, further undermining the federal structure. By late March 1950, Hamid’s West Kalimantan was one of the four remaining federal states in the United States of Indonesia.
Hamid’s role in the coup led to increased agitation in West Kalimantan for its integration into the Republic of Indonesia. Following a fact-finding mission by the Government Commission, the RUSI House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly by a margin of 50 to one votes to merge West Kalimantan into the Republic of Indonesia. Following clashes with demobilized KNIL troops in Makassar
Makassar
Makassar, is the provincial capital of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, and the largest city on Sulawesi Island. From 1971 to 1999, the city was named Ujung Pandang, after a precolonial fort in the city, and the two names are often used interchangeably...
and the attempted secession of an Ambonese
Ambonese
The Ambonese, also known as South Moluccans, are an Indonesian ethnic group of mixed Malay-Papuan origin. They are mostly Christians or Muslims. Ambonese are from Ambon Island in Maluku, an island group east of Sulawesi and north of Timor in Indonesia. The predominant language of the island is...
Republic of South Moluccas, the federal United States of Indonesia was dissolved on 17 August 1950, turning Indonesia into a unitary state dominated by the central government in Jakarta.