Born in Gianyar, Bali, on 21 July 1921, Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung was born to Raja Anak Gunung Ngurah Agung, the Raja of Gianyar.[2] He obtained a doctorate at the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands, in the field of history. He served as the prime minister of the State of East Indonesia from 1947 to 1949. Following the independence of Indonesia, he served as Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Foreign Affairs during the era of PresidentSukarno's administration. In addition, he has also served as the Indonesian Ambassador to Belgium, Portugal, France, and Austria.
Based on Presidential Decree No. 066/TK/2007, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono bestowed the title of National Hero to several national figures including Ida Anak Agung Gde Agung for his services in the struggle for Indonesian Independence, specifically for establishing and being the main driver of the Federal Consultative Assembly (PMF) in 1948, the association of federal states and territories in Indonesia aimed at gathering political power to overcome various Dutch-Indonesian negotiations.[3]
On 23 August 1943, a year after the Japanese invaded, Anak Agung became the Raja of Gianyar, a month after he celebrated his twenty-second birthday, making him only 22 years old. This was after his father was suspected and detained by the Japanese Ministry for treason.[6]
Following the transfer of sovereignty on December 27, 1949, Agung served as a member of the short-lived Republic of the United States of Indonesia Cabinet, where he served as minister of the interior.[8] Due to his Federalist sympathies, he politically feuded with Sukarno, who advocated a unitaryRepublic of Indonesia. Following the abolition of the federal system in 1950, he served as the Indonesian ambassador to Belgium, followed by successive appointments as ambassador to Luxembourg, Portugal, France , and Austria.[7] During the Sukarno presidency, Agung served as Indonesia's foreign minister between 1955 and 1956 and was a participant in the West New Guinea dispute. Later, he was imprisoned by the Sukarno regime between 1962 and 1966 but was never brought to trial.[8]
Following the 1965 attempted coup and rise of Suharto's New Order regime, Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung was released by the new Indonesian foreign ministerAdam Malik, who also restored him to his senior position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the New Order era, Agung served as Indonesia's ambassador to Austria. During his time overseas, Agung also authored Twenty Years Indonesian foreign policy 1945–1965, a 660-page history of Indonesian foreign policy during the Sukarno era. In his book, Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung argued that Indonesian foreign policy was based on the principles of independence and action, which meant remaining independent of foreign powers. Agung also argued that Sukarno abandoned Indonesia's independent foreign policy by aligning Indonesia with China and embarking on a policy of confrontation against Malaysia.[8]
Death and legacy
Ida Anak Agung Gde Agung died in Gianyar, Bali, indonesia, on April 22, 1999. Based on Presidential Decree No. 066/TK/2007, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono bestowed the title of National Hero to several national figures, including Ida Anak Agung Gde Agung for his services in the struggle for Indonesian Independence,[5][9] specifically for his services in 1948 in establishing and being the main driver of the Federal Consultative Assembly (PMF), the association of federal states and territories in Indonesia aimed at gathering political power to overcome various Dutch-Indonesian negotiations.[3] He was also given the Bintang Mahaputra Adipradana award by the Indonesian government.
Writings
List of writings
The following is a list of writings by Anak Agung.
List of writings
Title
Year of Publication
Publisher
Pages
Dua Puluh Tahun Politik Luar Negeri Indonesia 1945-1965
Twenty Years Indonesian Foreign Policy 1945-1965
1973
Mouton
640
Kenangan masa lampau zaman kolonial Hindia Belanda dan zaman pendudukan Jepang di Bali
Memories of the past during the Dutch East Indies colonial era and the Japanese occupation in Bali
Agung, Ide Anak Agung Gde (1996) [1995]. From the Formation of the State of East Indonesia Towards the Establishment of the United States of Indonesia. Translated by Owens, Linda. Yayasan Obor. ISBN979-461-216-2.
Westerling, Raymond Paul Pierre (1952). Mes aventures en Indonesie [Challenge to Terror] (in French). Translated by Root, Waverley. London: W. Kimber.