Political Exiles and Women in Pulang by Leila S. Chudori: The Impact of the Post-Suharto Era
Authors:   School of Humanities, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Abdul Aziz Sohaimi 
Published: May 2021

The political setting that occurred during the political reformation era after 1998 in Indonesia has influenced the literary writings in Indonesia. Forbidden issues are outwardly spoken and afresh. This new situation is assimilated by Leila S. Chudori the author of the novel Pulang . This article discusses his tribulations of the political exile group that lives in exiles in Paris due to Suharto’s politic that hound the people that were connected with communism and feminism tendencies as seen in this novel. These two problems may look different, yet in reality are interlinked based on the post-Suharto’s era socio-politic setting. This article tries to find the answer to those problems through historical and feminism approach. Leila S. Chudori is an Indonesian female writer that deeply perceives the tribulations of the political exile group. They became the victim of Suharto’s government policy that hounds those suspected as the supporters of socialism or leftists group not only in the country but outside of Indonesia such as France. As an exile group the question of identity and relationship becomes significant. After 1998, during the post-Suharto era, with the more open socio-political policy, the Indonesians were given freedom to discuss the problems of the exiles and the opportunity is taken by Leila S. Chudori. The result is the novel Pulang , which talk about the tribulations of the exiles, heightened creatively and more daring compared to during the Suharto’s era, which did not give any consideration to even talk about it. Keywords: Indonesian history; political exiles; supporters of feminism Abstrak Latar politik yang berlaku pada zaman reformasi politik selepas 1998 di Indonesia telah mempengaruhi penulisan karya sastera di Indonesia. Hal-hal yang dilarang telah diperkatakan dengan lebih berani dan segar. Keadaan ini dicernakan oleh Leila S. Chudori yang menulis novelnya Pulang . Makalah ini membincangkan persoalan golongan politik terbuang (political exile) yang hidup dalam buangan di Paris akibat politik Suharto yang memburu golongan yang dikaitkan dengan komunisme dan kecenderungan feminisme yang kelihatan dalam novel ini. Dua persoalan ini kelihatan berbeza, namun sebenarnya berhubungan berdasarkan latar sosiopolitik zaman pasca Suharto. Melalui pendekatan sejarah dan feminisme, makalah ini cuba menjawab persoalan tersebut. Leila S. Chudori pengarang wanita Indonesia sangat menjiwai permasalahan golongan politik terbuang. Mereka menjadi mangsa dasar pemerintahan Suharto yang memburu mereka yang disyaki sebagai golongan yang bersimpati dengan sosialisme atau berfahaman kiri yang berada bukan sahaja di dalam dan di luar Indonesia seperti di Paris. Sebagai golongan terbuang sudah pasti persoalan identiti dan perhubungan menjadi perhatian. Selepas 1998, iaitu zaman pasca-Suharto, dengan dasar sosiopolitik yang lebih terbuka, maka rakyat Indonesia diberikan kebebasan untuk membincangkan permasalahan golongan politik terbuang dan kesempatan ini diambil oleh Leila S. Chudori. Hasilnya novel Pulang , yang membincangkan permasalahan golongan politik terbuang, diangkat secara kreatif dan berani berbanding zaman Suharto, yang tidak memberikan ruang untuk memperkatakannya. Kata kunci: sejarah Indonesia, manusia politik terbuang, kecenderungan feminisme