First Sjahrir Cabinet

First Sjahrir Cabinet
2nd cabinet of Indonesia
Indonesian Government (Executive Branch)
Date formed	11 November 1945
Date dissolved	28 February 1946
People and organisations
Head of government	Sutan Sjahrir
Head of state	Sukarno
Number of ministers	16
Member party	Indonesian Socialist Party Parkindo Masyumi Party
Status in legislature	Coalition
History
Predecessor	Sukarno
Successor	Sjahrir II

The first Sjahrir Cabinet (Indonesian: Kabinet Sjahrir Pertama) was the second Indonesian cabinet. It served from November 1945 to February 1946.

Background

The first Sjahrir cabinet was established following the 11 November 1945, demand from the Central Indonesian National Committee, which was the de facto legislature, that the cabinet be responsible to it, not to President Sukarno. The existing cabinet was dismissed and Sutan Sjahrir was asked to become prime minister. He agreed to do so on the condition he was allowed to select his own cabinet. The cabinet lineup was announced on 14 November 1945.^[1][2]

Composition

None of the ministers had served in the previous cabinet. The government was intended to be inclusive, with representation from the nationalist and the religious parties, the latter grouping being represented by the PSII.^[3]

Portfolio	Minister		Took office	Left office	Party
Prime Minister Minister of Home Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs		Sutan Sjahrir	11 November 1945	28 February 1946	Socialist
Minister of People's Security		Amir Sjarifuddin	11 November 1945	28 February 1946	Socialist
Minister of Defense		Amir Sjarifuddin	28 February 1946	3 January 1946	Socialist
Minister of Information		Amir Sjarifuddin	11 November 1945	3 January 1946	Socialist
		Mohammad Natsir	3 January 1946	28 February 1946	Masyumi
Minister of Finance		Soenarjo Kolopaking	11 November 1945	5 December 1945	Independent
		Soerachman Tjokroadisoerjo	11 November 1945	28 February 1946	Independent
Minister of Education		Todung Sutan Gunung Mulia	11 November 1945	28 February 1946	Parkindo
Minister of Justice		Soewandi	11 November 1945	28 February 1946	Independent
Minister of Social Affairs		Adjidarmo Tjokronegoro	11 November 1945	28 February 1946	Socialist
Minister of Health		Dr. Darma Setiawan	11 November 1945	28 February 1946	Independent
Minister of Welfare		Darmawan Mangoenkoesoemo	11 November 1945	5 December 1945	Socialist
		Soedarsono	5 December 1945	28 February 1946	Socialist
Minister of Public Works		Putuhena	11 November 1945	28 February 1946	Parkindo
Minister of Communications		Abdoel Karim	11 November 1945	28 February 1946	Independent
Minister of Religious Affairs		Rasjidi	3 January 1946	28 February 1946	Masyumi
State Minister		Rasjidi	11 November 1945	3 January 1946	Masyumi
Junior Minister of Foreign Affairs		Harmani	11 November 1945	28 February 1946	Independent
Junior Minister of People's Security		Abdul Murad	11 November 1945	28 February 1946	Socialist
Junior Minister of Defense		Soegiono Josodiningrat	28 February 1946	3 January 1946	Independent

Changes

There were several changes over the short life of this cabinet. On 5 December 1945, Minister of Finance Soenarjo Kolopaking and Minister of Social Affairs Adjidarmo Tjokronegoro resigned and were replaced by Soerachman Tjokroadisoerjo and Spedarsono respectively. On 3 January 1946, State Minister Rasjidi was appointed Minister of Religious Affairs, heading the new ministry established the same day. The following day, Muhammad Natsir took over Amir Sjarifuddin's job as Minister of Information. On 7 January 1946, Soegiono Josodiningrat was appointed to replace Junior Minister People's Security Abdul Murad and the name of the ministry was changed to the Ministry of Defense.^[4]

The end of the cabinet

The Sjahrir cabinet fell as a result of the conflict between the Struggle Front of opposition politician Tan Malaka and Sjahrir over the latter's readiness to compromise with the Dutch before their colonial army had left Indonesia. Tan Malaka demanded a cabinet of national unity which secured widespread public support, prompting Sjahrir's resignation on 28 February 1946.^[5][6]

Notes

1. Kahin (1952) p169
2. Ricklefs (1982) p206
3. Simanjuntak (2003) pp. 52-54
4. Simanjuntak (2003) p25
5. Simanjuntak (2003) pp. 26-28
6. Kahin (1952) pp.175-176

References

• Kahin, George McTurnan (1952) Nationalism and Revolution in Indonesia Cornell University Press, ISBN 0-8014-9108-8
• Ricklefs (1982), A History of Modern Indonesia, Macmillan Southeast Asian reprint, ISBN 0-333-24380-3
• Simanjuntak, P. N. H. (2003), Kabinet-Kabinet Republik Indonesia: Dari Awal Kemerdekaan Sampai Reformasi (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Djambatan, pp. 23–28, ISBN 979-428-499-8.