Agus Salim - Career

Career

In 1915, he joined Sarekat Islam under Tjokroaminoto's leadership and soon became second in command; Salim and Tjokorminoto became known as the dwi tunggal (English: the two who are one) due to their close cooperation. Salim later replaced Tjokroaminoto after Tjokrominoto's death in 1934.

In his hometown he opened a public school for native Indonesians, or Hollandsch Inlandsche School. Three years later, he worked for Translateur Ladische Drukkery in Jakarta. In 1917 he also worked as Editor in Chief for the Neradja, and then as chief editor at Balai Pustaka. From 1917-1919, he became director of Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad, a Dutch-language newspaper.

During the same period Salim wrote extensively on human rights and Indonesian independence. In "Progress as a Property Case", published on 11 October 1917, he argued that the Dutch reason for denying Indonesian independence, the lack of economic advancement, was ignorant of human history, citing slavery as an example. As long as Indonesians lacked political rights and independence, he argued, they would never gain economic advancement.

Salim was a member of numerous committees for the preparation for Indonesian independence, including the Committee for Indonesian Independence Preparation, Committee of Nine, and the Formulator Committee; they wrote the preamble to Indonesia's constitution, including Pancasila.

After the failure of the Linggadjati Agreement with the Dutch in March 1947, a delegation chaired by Salim went to numerous Arabic countries to seek de jure recognition of Indonesia's independence. Facilitate by Salim's command of Arabic, they succeeded; Egypt recognize Indonesia's independence on 10 June 1947, Iran in July 1947, and Lebanon and Saudi Arabia on 24 November 1947. Upon his return to Indonesia, Salim was hailed as an exemplary diplomat.

Salim was also a member of the Indonesian delegation to the United Nations Security Council session at Lake Success, New York under Prime Minister Syahrir.

During his political career, he served as foreign minister during Sjahrir II Cabinet, Sjahrir III Cabinet, Amir Sjarifuddin I Cabinet, Hatta I Cabinet, and Hatta II Cabinet.

Salim died 27 days after his 70th birthday, on 4 November 1954.

Read more about this topic:  Agus Salim

Famous quotes containing the word career:

    They want to play at being mothers. So let them. Expressing tenderness in their own way will not prevent girls from enjoying a successful career in the future; indeed, the ability to nurture is as valuable a skill in the workplace as the ability to lead.
    Anne Roiphe (20th century)

    “Never hug and kiss your children! Mother love may make your children’s infancy unhappy and prevent them from pursuing a career or getting married!” That’s total hogwash, of course. But it shows on extreme example of what state-of-the-art “scientific” parenting was supposed to be in early twentieth-century America. After all, that was the heyday of efficiency experts, time-and-motion studies, and the like.
    Lawrence Kutner (20th century)

    From a hasty glance through the various tests I figure it out that I would be classified in Group B, indicating “Low Average Ability,” reserved usually for those just learning to speak the English Language and preparing for a career of holding a spike while another man hits it.
    Robert Benchley (1889–1945)