Tugu Proklamasi was initiated by several women figures of Indonesia e,g, Yos Masdani Tumbuan, Mien Wiranatakusumah, Zus Ratulangi (daughter of Sam Ratulangi), Zubaedah, and Ms. Gerung. The sketch of the memorial was done by Kores Siregar, a student from the Bandung Institute of Technology. The construction started on July 1946. On the eve of the inauguration of the memorial in mid-August, the mayor of Jakarta Suwiryo refused to inaugurate the memorial due to perceived safety issue. During the proposed time of the inauguration, the allies had occupied Jakarta and there was a concern that the allies would start a massacre similar with the Amritsar massacre in India.