Abdul Muis (in old Indonesian spelling Abdoel Moeis), 1886-1959, was an Indonesian novelist, journalist and advocator of Indonesian independence from the Netherlands. As a novelist, Muis is most remembered for being the author of Salah Asuhan (Wrong Upbringing), a novel that is regarded as one of the great pieces of early modern Indonesian literature. As a journalist and freedom fighter, he is remembered for his blunt criticism toward the colonization of Indonesia. As a result he was arrested and spent several years in exile.

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Next month it will be the 60th anniversary of the first Asian African Conference, held in the Gedung Merdeka in Bandung (West Java) between 18 and 24 April 1955. This conference, which is also known as the Bandung Conference, is regarded as a milestone as it was the first time an encounter took place among 29 Asian and African countries - many of which had just gained independence from western colonizers - with the aim to promote Afro-Asian economic and cultural cooperation as well as to oppose (neo)colonialism.

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Today, exactly 49 years ago, Indonesian President Sukarno reluctantly signed a decree that gave full authority to army commander General Suharto to restore order, protect Sukarno and safeguard the Indonesian revolution. This decree, which would become the start of a brand new chapter in Indonesian history (the New Order) as it marked the transfer of executive power from Sukarno to Suharto, became known as Supersemar (Surat Perintah Sebelas Maret, or, the Decree of 11 March).

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Pada pertengahan 1960an, perpolitikan dan perekonomian di Indonesia berada di dalam bencana. Setelah kemerdekaan di tahun 1945 (dan penghentian konflik dengan Belanda di tahun 1949), negara muda ini dilanda dengan politik internal yang berbahaya karena beberapa kekuatan politik - termasuk militer, nasionalis, partai-partai Islam, dan komunis - saling berlawanan satu sama lain. Selama satu dekade, Sukarno, Presiden pertama Indonesia, cukup sukses untuk membendung ancaman dari kekuatan-kekuatan ini dengan menggunakan kekuatan kharismanya. Namun, pada pertengahan 1960an, kegagalannya terbukti nyata.

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