# Cabinet of the State of East Indonesia

The Cabinet of the State of East Indonesia (Indonesian: Kabinet Negara Indonesia Timur) served as the central government apparatus of the State of East Indonesia (Indonesian: Negara Indonesia Timur), headed by a prime minister who were appointed by the head of state. During the three-year lifetime of the state between 24 December 1946 and 27 December 1949, there were eight cabinets in total, headed by six different prime ministers.

## First Nadjamuddin cabinet (13 January 1947 – 2 June 1947)

At the Denpasar Conference (18-24 December 1946) organized by Acting Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies Hubertus van Mook, the State of East Indonesia was established with Balinese noble Tjokorda Gde Raka Soekawati was elected head of state designated as president, and Nadjamuddin Daeng Malewa was appointed as prime minister-designate. Following discussions between the two men in Jakarta, the cabinet was announced and inaugurated on 13 January 1947 with the composition as follows:
| Portfolio | Holder | Prior position |
| Prime Minister | Nadjamuddin Daeng Malewa | Trade Commissioner in Makassar |
| Economic Affairs | Nadjamuddin Daeng Malewa | Trade Commissioner in Makassar |
| Home Affairs | Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung | Raja of Gianyar |
| Justice | Tjia Kok Tjiang | Head of Law Department of the Residents' Office in Makassar |
| Finance | Mathijs Hamelink | Agent of the Bank of Java in Makassar |
| Education | Elvianus Katoppo | Superintendent of Elementary Education in Manado |
| Information | G. R. Pantouw | Businessman in Makassar |
| Health | Semuel Jusof Warouw | Public physician with the government health bureau in Manado |
| Public Works and Transportation | Elias Dumais Dengah | Chairman of the Minahasa Council in Manado |
| Social Affairs | Julius Tahija | Military officer, adjutant to the commander of Dutch forces in Jakarta |
As the provisional legislature had achieved very little in its first session, a number of its members proposed giving the cabinet unlimited powers to pass laws pending their later approval by the legislature. The cabinet would resign to allow the prime minister a free rein to make new appointments and form a cabinet with majority political support. Nadjamuddin Daeng Malewa held a series of meetings with political supporters and opponents in late May 1947 to decide on the composition of his revised cabinet.

## Second Nadjamuddin cabinet (2 June 1947 – 11 October 1947)

The second cabinet, also headed by Nadjamuddin Daeng Malewa was announced on 31 May 1947. its composition was:
| Portfolio | Holder |
| Prime Minister | Nadjamuddin Daeng Malewa |
| Economy (Minister) | Nadjamuddin Daeng Malewa |
| Deputy Prime Minister | Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung |
| Home Affairs | Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung |
| Justice | Christiaan Robbert Steven Soumokil |
| Finance | Mathijs Hamelink |
| Economy (Vice Minister) | Mathijs Hamelink |
| Finance (Vice Minister) | Rudolf Julianus 'Dolf' Matekohy/Metekohy |
| Education | Elvianus Katoppo |
| Information | Julius Tahija |
| Transportation and Public Works | Antonius Maximilian Semawi |
| Health | Semuel Jusof Warouw |
| Social Affairs | G. R. Pantouw |
| Minister of State (Islamic affairs) | Achmad Sjehan Bachmid |
| Minister of State (Citizenship affairs) | Robert Cornelis Claproth |
| Minister of State (Judiciary affairs) | Tjia Kok Tjiang |
In December 1947, Prime Minister Nadjamuddin Daeng Malewa was charged with corruption while he and president Soekawati were on an overseas visit, ending his term of office and his second cabinet.

## Warouw cabinet (11 October 1947 – 15 December 1947)

The Warouw Cabinet was formed on 10 October 1947 and sworn in the following day. Its composition was:
| Portfolio | Holder |
| Prime Minister | Semuel Jusof Warouw |
| Health | Semuel Jusof Warouw |
| Deputy Prime Minister | Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung |
| Home Affairs | Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung |
| Justice | Christiaan Robbert Steven Soumokil |
| Finance | Mathijs Hamelink (Minister) |
| Finance | Rudolf Julianus 'Dolf' Matekohy/Metekohy (Vice Minister) |
| Transportation and Public Works | Antonius Maximilian Semawi |
| Education | Elvianus Katoppo |
| Information | Sonda Daeng Mattajang |
| Economy | Julius Tahija (Minister) |
| Economy | Hoesain Poeang Limboro (Vice Minister) |
| Social Affairs | Abdoellah Daeng Mappoedji (Minister) |
| Social Affairs | Tan Tek Heng (Vice Minister) |
The politically inexperienced Prime Minister Warouw and his cabinet was accused of being overly supportive of the Dutch military offensive launched against the areas controlled by the Republicans in July 1947 during Operation Product, and was brought down by the Provisional Representative Body.

## First Gde Agung cabinet (15 December 1947 – 12 January 1949)

The first Gde Agung cabinet was sworn in on 15 December 1947. Its composition was as follows:
| Portfolio | Holder |
| Prime Minister | Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung |
| Home Affairs | Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung (Minister) |
| Home Affairs | Sulaiman Binol (Vice Minister) |
| Justice | Christiaan Robbert Steven Soumokil (Minister) |
| Justice | Robert Cornelis Claproth (Vice Minister) |
| Economy | Hoesain Poeang Limboro (Minister) |
| Economy | Tan Tek Heng (Vice Minister) |
| Finance | Mathijs Hamelink (Minister) |
| Finance | Rudolf Julianus 'Dolf' Matekohy/Metekohy (Vice Minister) |
| Education | Elvianus Katoppo (Minister) |
| Education | Jan Engelbert Tatengkeng (Vice Minister) |
| Health | Semuel Jusof Warouw |
| Transportation and Public Works | Patuan Doli Diapari |
| Social Affairs | S.S. Palenkahoe (Minister) |
| Social Affairs | Mohammad Sjafei (Vice Minister) |
| Information | Andi Burhanuddin (Minister) |
| Information | Izaak Huru Doko (Vice Minister) |
This was the first cabinet to include supporters of the Indonesian Republic, and on 23 December 1947, it toned down the government's support for the July 1947 Dutch military action. At midnight on 19 December 1948, the Dutch launched another military attack against the Republic of Indonesia, codenamed Operation Kraai, and the First Gde Agung cabinet resigned in protest.

## Second Gde Agung cabinet (12 January 1949 – 27 December 1949)

The second Gde Agung cabinet was formed and sworn in on 12 January 1949. Its composition was as follows:
| Portfolio | Holder |
| Prime Minister | Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung |
| Home Affairs | Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung |
| Justice | Christiaan Robbert Steven Soumokil |
| Economy | Tan Tek Heng (interim until 12 March 1949) |
| Economy | Abdul Rajab Daeng Massiki (from 12 March 1949) |
| Finance | Mathijs Hamelink |
| Education | Jan Engelbert Tatengkeng |
| Social Affairs | Sulaiman Binol |
| Health | Jan Willem Grootings |
| Public Works and Transportation | Patuan Doli Diapari |
| Information | Izaak Huru Doko |
| Minister of State (Budget Planning) | Tan Tek Heng (from 12 March 1949) |
Following the transfer of sovereignty from the Netherlands to the United States of Indonesia (RUSI) a result of the Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference, prime minister Gde Agung was appointed foreign minister in the RUSI cabinet, and submitted his resignation as prime minister of East Indonesia.

## Tatengkeng cabinet (27 December 1949 – 14 March 1950)

The Tatengkeng cabinet was sworn in on 27 December 1949. Its composition was as follows:
| Portfolio | Holder |
| Prime Minister | Jan Engelbert Tatengkeng |
| Education | Jan Engelbert Tatengkeng |
| Home Affairs | Iskandar Muhammad Jabir Syah of Ternate |
| Finance | Tan Tek Heng |
| Economy | Abdul Rajab Daeng Massiki |
| Information | Izaak Huru Doko |
| Social Affairs | Sulaiman Binol |
| Health (interim) | Sulaiman Binol |
| Public Works | Patuan Doli Diapari |
| Justice | Christiaan Robbert Steven Soumokil |
Following elections, the provisional legislature was disbanded on 20 February 1950, and the cabinet also resigned. The following day, the elected representatives took their seats, while the Justice minister Chris Soumokil subsequently fled to Ambon and proclaimed the establishment of the Republic of South Maluku (RMS).

## Diapari cabinet (14 March 1950 – 10 May 1950)

The Diapari cabinet was sworn in on 14 March 1950 in the middle of the RMS Crisis. Its composition was as follows:
| Portfolio | Holder |
| Prime Minister | Patuan Doli Diapari |
| Public Works and Transportation | Patuan Doli Diapari |
| Finance | Tan Tek Heng |
| Home Affairs | Abdul Rajab Daeng Massiki |
| Justice | Robert Cornelis Claproth |
| Economy | Achmad Ponsen Daeng Posanre |
| Education | Izaak Huru Doko |
| Social Affairs and Health | Daniel P. Tahitoe |
| Information | Willem Jozias Ratulangi |
Since the elected parliament convened, it had been sharply divided between federalists, who supported the government of East Indonesia and the concept of the federal United States of Indonesia, and the opposition unitarians, who wanted a return to a unitary Indonesian republic. The two main federalist factions repeatedly called for the government to dismantle the State of East Indonesia, and subsequently one of the factions supporting the government called for the cabinet to resign and be replaced by one that was more broadly representative of the legislature. The motion was passed on 25 April, and the cabinet resigned. They remained in office as caretaker government until a new government could be formed.
On 2 May 1950, Prime Minister Diapari and several members of the cabinet, as well as some members of the Provisional Representative Body, were arrested and charged with conspiracy for being involved with Makassar Uprising involving Capt. Andi Aziz. None of them were charged any further and released from detention, as their involvement could not be proven.

## Putuhena cabinet (10 May 1950 – 16 August 1950)

The pro-republican Putuhena (or Poetoehena in older spelling) cabinet was tasked with making preparations for the integration of East Indonesia into a unitary Republic of Indonesia. Unlike previous prime ministers who were politicians of within East Indonesia, Martinus Putuhena was an Ambon-born federal official who were later posted in Makassar, serving as the civilian chair of the Territorial Military Commission. He was asked by president Soekawati to form a government after prime minister-designate Eliza Urbanus Pupella failed to form a government, all while the Diapari caretaker government were brought to halt.
Its composition was as follows:
| Portfolio | Holder |
| Prime Minister | Martinus Putuhena |
| Transportation | Martinus Putuhena |
| Welfare | Martinus Putuhena |
| Home Affairs | Lanto Daeng Pasewang |
| Justice | I Gusti Ketut Pudja |
| Social Affairs | Andi Burhanuddin |
| Information | Henk Rondonoewoe |
| Education | Freddy Jaques Ingkiriwang |
| Health | Freddy Jaques Ingkiriwang |
| Finance | Abdoel Razak |
On 19 May 1950, following negotiations between the United States of Indonesia (representing the State of East Indonesia and the State of East Sumatra) and the Republic of Indonesia, an agreement was reached to establish a unitary Indonesian state. This state was formed on 15 August 1950, and given that this meant the State of East Indonesia no longer existed, Putuhena and his cabinet resigned on 16 August.