INDONESIA: KOTI overhaul could show where power is (Canberra Times, 15 November 1965)

The Canberra Times (1965-11-15) - INDONESIA KOTI overhaul could show where power is Source: Trove, National Library of Australia - https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article105872879 Date retrieved: 2026-10-17 OCR text (uncorrected) follows. 15 Nov 1965 - INDONESIA KOTI overhaul could show where power is Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995), Monday 15 November 1965, page 5 INDONESIAKOTI overhaul could show where power isDJAKARTA, Sunday (AAP). — President Sukarno's pro-Communist Supreme Operational Command (KOTI) — a sort of inner cabinet — will soon be "overhauled... to improve its efficiency," according to the Army commander, Maior-General Suharto.Changes in the line-up of the organisation are. expected to provide a fairly accurate indication of where the real power in Indonesianow lies.The Army has been pressing a strong campaign against the Communist Party because of its support of the October 1 at'empted coup.President Sukarno, on the other hand, describe the anti - Communist drive as a "witch hunt."One telling indication ofwhether President Sukarno or the Army is on top will be the fate of Foreign Minister Dr Subandrio, who has been linked with the coup elements.Recent rumours have said Dr Subandrio will be politely "exiled" with a meaningless mission, abroad, but President Sukarno appears to be striving desperately to save him,The power ofNasutionIf Dr Subandrio is ousted or demoted in the KOT1 reshuffle, it will be a significant indication of the power of the Defence Minister, General Nasution. The inner cabinet now includes three deputyPremiers, one of them Dr Subandrio, the commanders of all four armed services and other key Ministers and aides.General Suharto declined today to elaborate on what changes were pending inKOTI, but said the revision would be made public shortly.He made his announcement to newsmen at the Indonesian White Housein the company of Brigadier General Magenda, a member of the KOTI.A thousand women marched on Government offices yesterday in a show of support for the current purge of Communists.CommunistssuspendedThe women presented a resolution. to officials of the National Front announcing suspension ofthe Communist Party women's auxiliary, Gerwani, and calling for final dissolution of the group.The Indonesian Cabinet Presidium met yesterday for two hours and discussed the country's economic problems, the official news agency Antara reported.The third deputy Premier, Dr Saleh, detailed information on the economic situati... and,, the meeting drafted recommendations ' for meeting the problems.The meeting gave specialattention to social and economic conditions of Government servants and the armed forces following an instruction from President Sukarno.