Umi Sardjono, Ubah Wajah Tanah Air Selangkah demi Selangkah (pidato di MPRS, Harian Rakjat, 19 Desember 1960; terjemahan JPRS 1961)

Title: JPRS (1961) - Change the Face of Our Homeland Step by Step, speech by Umi Sardjono to MPRS, transl. of Harian Rakjat 19 Dec 1960 [Translations from Harian Rakjat, HathiTrust coo.31924023987864] Source: HathiTrust Digital Library (full view, US government work), page OCR text via text-only view Volume: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924023987864 Date retrieved: 2026-10-17 Note: page-image PDFs could not be downloaded (HathiTrust temporarily blocked image downloads); OCR text only. Page #2 Wason 19768 H28+ CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY inos. CORNELL UNIVERSI UNDEO BY EZRA CORNELL This page contains an image. Page #43 Χ. CHANGE THE FACE OF OUR HOMELAND STEP BY STEP 19 December 1960, pages 3 and 4 Umi Sardjono (Speech by Umi Sardjono before the Plenary Meeting of the MPRS.) The happenings that have taken place in this hall are now living history. This time the MPRS has produced decisions of jubilation; decisions that provide a place for the people. The MPRS really sensed the message regarding the sufferings of the people. Moreover, it accounted for the divine guidance that was responsible for the progress of our deliberations. There was the spirit of national unity in this building, the spirit of inspired determination to see the revolution through. This has been a real performance that is equal to the hopes and aspirations of the people. And this will probably be pondered by the women who have had a life of suffering. In attacking, history tells us to keep to the world of reality. Hence we must remain loyal to the message on the sufferings of the people, then the MPRS will fulfill its obligations to history. The eight-year first-phase development is a transitional development. By promoting all the technicalities of the first-phase development with a view toward liquidation of the colonial economy and toward strengthening the national economy, the basis for realizing the development of a future socialist economy can also be laid. For this purpose, we are agreed that during the first phase, development should be in the direction of self-sufficiency with respect to food and clothing. The reason for this is because the dependence of the Indonesian economy on imports smacks of the general economic dependence of a nation not yet completely free. In addition, the development of heavy industry should also be included in the project blueprint for purposes of achieving a balanced development equated to the phases. We cannot be people wanting to build in minature to a point where in actuality we cannot achieve any change. On the other hand, we should not also turn followers of the "leap and look later" theory. In consideration of and not in depreciation of the powers of the state to allow investments, the money groups should not be allowed to increase the burdens in the field of consumption. If during the first phase we are brave, we will become strong enough to raise the living standards of the people during the course of eight years; and as far as we care to, we can boost the national income. Furthermore, permit me to present an opinion concerning distribution, the one field that directly determines the life and blood of the economy and determines the daily lives in the household kitchen. -37- Page #44 Chapter 6 of the MPRS No. II Decision, as well as its enclosures, contains a very appropriate guiding statement on distribution. This is published in the outline, as well as in the reorganization of the distribution system corresponding to this outline. The guided economy should not bring about a stop in the flow of rice, sugar, and oil. Just as the NPC announced and the MPRS suggested, there is a need for economizing in a real development. However, this economizing must not reach the areas of the consumption of essential food and clothing, because the factors governing acceptance by the people are determined materially and spiritually by future production. Therefore, the important thing is the transition and the role the government should assume in effecting rigid controls over distribution. There is also the question of what role the cooperative will assume, not to mention private business. However, objectionable measures that slow down the flow of goods should not be allowed. In the field of distribution, the MPRS declared that the government should carefully look after controls of the stocks of supplies so that as a minimum there will be eight types of people's food and clothing. Although 18 categories of goods mentioned in the NPC Development Blueprint are essential for the people, there should be specific supervision by the government over preparations. This preparation of goods is based on a survey of minimum require-- ments to be determined by investigating the people's food requirements in terms of nutrition. During the first phase, the stocking of goods for supplying industry will consist of standard support items contained in a list. Nineteen types of goods are also included as goods that will require control by the government. With an interpretation such as this, there need not be any further derogatory remarks about what is vital and what is not vital. The function of the cooperative is very important as a channel of distribution. In this respect, I hope there will be aid to credit facilities in terms of guidance in paving the way for legal approval, and in such a way that during its development there will be a genuine feeling of ownership by the people and for the people. The political problems relative to the prices of the future cannot be minimized. The principle of price determination should be reasonably and consistently adjusted to the purchasing power of the people. The price of imports should be based on the cost price plus a profit margin for the association of merchants. Although a sound principle makes good sense, precaution must be taken so that the middleman and wholesale dealer are not completely displaced. In addition, the cost price should not include other cost factors because various indirect and direct taxes on consumer goods cause prices to spiral upwards. -38- Page #45 Therefore, when increased production becomes a fact in the future, the system of state income need not be dependent on taxation. I am very hopeful that there will be a price principle on food and clothing that is reasonable, uniform, and flexible. If the development blueprint is to become a blueprint of fact, it should belong to the people. In order for this document to become the property of the people, there must be a massing of the productive forces. Surely the road exemplified in the MPRS decision has been long awaited. It is proof that the people have indeed been faced with suffering and have been faced with the drifting of the revolution. Yet they never were dissappointed because they were convinced the days ahead would be decisive. May the first-phase development be implemented and bring about the liberation of the people from their predicaments through the establishment of the lines of overall development, from the waterfalls of Maribaja to the shores of the Banda Sea and from the tip of Timor on Dewata Island to the base of the Bukit Barisan. We will change the face of our homeland. -39- Page #46 XI. IMPLEMENT-GUIDED DEMOCRACY ON A CONSULTATIVE BASIS 20 December 1960, page 3 Messer Tanggap Peleng (Speech of Messer Tanggap Peleng before the Plenary Meeting of the MPRS.) Mr. Chairman, leaders of the council, and distinguished members of the council. On 19 November, the MPRS took a big and important step in terms of history; this was the jubilant decision establishing and strengthening the Political Manifesto and its bold specifications. Accordingly, the decision was accepted by the people throughout Indonesia as the major lines of the national path. I can say it was a jubilant decision because the Political Manifesto formulates and answers many basic problems of the 1945 August revolution against imperialism and feudalism. We are proud of the speed with which deliberation in the MPRS progressed relative to the major lines of the planned overall national development blueprint, an achievement of the scholars of the NPC. Only after many days of untiring efforts of the commissions were they able to establish the major lines of the planned overall national development blueprint as a decision carried unanimously. I can say assuredly that this pride is a national pride. As Mr. Njoto said in his speech on 19 November, "We accept unanimously, with joy, warmly, and as a symbol of unity of all national forces based on the Nasakom as its axis and the Political Manifesto as its foundation." This statement has naturally given vigor to all Indonesian community life in general and the Borneo region in particular. While the MPRS was in session we witnessed guided democracy in action and not in words. Within a brief time and by unanimous vote, the MPRS established the major lines of the planned overall national development blueprint. This was project of the scholars of the NPC from all fields of development-- the field of intellectualism, religion, spiritualism, and research; the field of literature; the field of government, security, and defense; the field of production; the field of distribution and communications; the field of finance and internal revenue. This achievement of the MPRS will be heralded outside of this council. Its achievements certainly are welcomed fervently and enthusiastically by the Indonesian peoples in all enlightened circles of our homeland. In the capacity of an Indonesian son from Central Borneo, an area comprising more than twenty different Dayak tribes, I express my heartfelt appreciation of the MPRS decision, as it relates to the Political Manifesto and Decision No. II of the MPRS and as it relates to the major lines of the planned overall national development blueprint. These achievements of the important first MPRS will go down in history. -40- Page #47 This represents an effort to fulfill that which the Honorable President's message on the sufferings of the people expounds. We will be able to share the benefits of the decision with the people, for whom it will mean hope. For example, in the field of food production, the present condition is distressing to a large extent; the Indonesian people, especially the farmers in Central Borneo, own but one set of clothing on the average. Naturally, the farmer will be glad if in two or three years he can own two or three sets of decent clothes and the goods needed to satisfy everyday needs will be abundant. In the forests of South and Central Borneo there are trees for rayon manufacture; there are also considerable rubber trees that can be used in the production of rayon. In the young forests the people are now wasting hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of rubber trees. Yet, in the overall national development blueprint the amount of rayon raw materials needed is equal to 49 percent of the raw materials for food. In the field of food production, there is another situation. The farmer normally produces food products, yet he actually still depends on imported rice from foreign countries. In view of this, we envision a certain happiness for the farmer in Borneo in being able to farm by irrigation, thereby insuring a good level of food production. We should realize the importance of resettling the residents of crowded areas to underpopulated areas with a view toward increasing food production. The people of Central Borneo are ready to accept resettlers with open arms over much of the area. The only condition we ask is that consideration be given to past experiences in implementing resettlement. This would prevent a fourth failure, because provisions for them are very much lacking, e.g., housing is scarce, needs of life cannot be completely satisfied, tools for working and jobs are not always available, and health care cannot be guaranteed. Prospective resettlers should train two or three persons in the use of a modern tractor, because in Central Borneo one can obtain only a chopping tool and a mattock; tractors are not available. There is one rather unusual situation involving the farmer and other workers in East and Central Borneo. They are required each year to pay road taxes when highways are practically nonexistent in the area. Although East Borneo is about two and a half times the size of Java, it has only 119 kilometers of highways, and they are not cared for. The communications problems of the region are urgent and pressing ones. Once highways are completed in accordance with the overall development blueprint project, it would be advisable for the Government to undertake river transportation along such rivers as the Barito, Kapus, Kahajan, Katingan, and Mahakam in an effort to promote communications and economic activity in the region. The lack of river transportation has not only stifled the economy of the people, slowed down distribution, and hampered the travel of government employees, it has also been directly responsible for losses to the enterprises of the state, such as the coal mines of Muara Bakah (Barito). -41- Page #48 For this reason, coal production is only about one third of what it might The state cannot derive maximum advantages from state enterprises because of communication difficulties. In addition, there is a definite need for air communications to connect the remote regions. Distinguished members of the council, these are the many facts of life in the Borneo region which underscore its tremendous potential as relates to implementing Decision No. II of the MPRS concerning the overall development. Yet we are still faced with the counterforces of imperialism, as in East Borneo, and with feudal stagnation. The Decision is an important step toward exploiting these potentials in the interests of our aspirations, coupled with those of a completely free and democratic society; it is also the way to a just and prosperous community. -42-