In the mid-1960s, following the abortive coup by the 30 September Movement and the subsequent transition from President Sukarno to President Suharto, the RI "Irian" was extensively used as a floating detention center in Surabaya for suspected communists, especially during the anti-communist purges perpetrated by the Armed Forces in retaliation to the abortive coup. Ties between Eastern Bloc countries and Suharto's New Order regime promptly deteriorated, leading to the flow of spare parts for the ship being cut.