Basofi Sudirman

Basofi Sudirman
Basofi as governor of East Java
Governor of East Java
In office
28 August 1993 – 26 August 1998
Preceded bySoelarso
Succeeded byImam Utomo
Vice Governor of Jakarta
for Government and Security Affairs
In office
19 December 1987 – 12 May 1993
GovernorWiyogo Atmodarminto
Soerjadi Soedirdja
Preceded byEddie Marzuki Nalapraya
Succeeded byMuhammad Idroes
Personal details
Born(1940-12-28)28 December 1940
Bojonegoro, Dutch East Indies
Died7 August 2017(2017-08-07) (aged 76)
Jakarta, Indonesia
Military service
Branch/serviceIndonesian Army
Years of service1963–1987
RankMajor general
Commands512th Battalion, Kodam Brawijaya
Kodam Bukit Barisan
Battles/wars

Basofi Sudirman (28 December 1940 – 7 August 2017) was an Indonesian military officer and politician. He was Governor of East Java between August 1993 and August 1998, and was previously Vice Governor of Jakarta between December 1987 and May 1993. He served in the Indonesian Army, reaching the rank of major general. He took part in the Garuda Contingent to Egypt and the Indonesian invasion of East Timor during his time in the army, and was commander of Kodam I/Bukit Barisan.

Early life

Basofi Sudirman was born on 28 December 1940 in Bojonegoro. His father, Soedirman, was a santri and schoolteacher who became a military officer during the Indonesian National Revolution, and would eventually become a lieutenant general. In 1960, Basofi would enroll at the Indonesian Military Academy, and he graduated in 1963.[1]

Military career

After graduating from the Military Academy, Basofi joined the Kopassandha special forces unit, becoming commander of a combat detachment by 1971. In 1973, he was appointed as commander of the 512th battalion within Kodam Brawijaya.[2] In December 1973, the 512th battalion was deployed to Egypt as part of the Garuda Contingent of United Nations Emergency Force II. Basofi, then ranked major, became chief of staff of the Indonesian contingent which was based in Ismailia. Basofi remained in Egypt until the contingent's return to Indonesia in September 1974.[3]

The following year, Basofi commanded the battalion when it took part in the Indonesian invasion of East Timor.[4] He had been promoted to lieutenant colonel by the time of the invasion, and was appointed commander of a joint task force.[5] In 1977, Basofi was appointed commander of the 824th military district in Jember. After a stint at the Indonesian Army Command and General Staff College between 1978 and 1981, he returned to field service to become commander of the 18th airborne brigade of Kostrad (1981–1983), commander of Malang's military sub-region (1984–1986), and commander of Kodam Bukit Barisan before his retirement from service in 1987.[2]

Political career

While he was a brigadier general, Basofi was appointed Vice Governor of Jakarta under Wiyogo Atmodarminto by Presidential Order on 3 December 1987,[6] and was sworn on 19 December to replace Eddie Marzuki Nalapraya.[7] He concurrently served as chairman of Jakarta's branch of the ruling party Golkar.[8] He resigned from his post as vice governor on 12 May 1993.[9]

While he was vice governor in Jakarta, in 1992 he released a solo recording of the dangdut song "Tidak Semua Laki-Laki", which saw an unexpected success. Basofi wrote that Wijogo was concerned that President Suharto would not allow a high-ranking government official to enter entertainment. Instead, Suharto approved of Basofi's actions, with the recording being promoted by TVRI and used by Golkar in campaigns for the 1992 Indonesian legislative election.[1][8][10] Basofi in 1994 claimed "with dangdut we will success-ify development".[8] He would continue to feature in entertainment during his career in government – for instance, appearing as a guest star a TPI-hosted concert in 1996.[11]

Governor of East Java

Basofi was then appointed Governor of East Java, being sworn in on 28 August 1993.[12] His tenure as governor was strongly focused on political issues.[13] In 1996, Basofi announced a provincial election committee for the 1997 Indonesian legislative election, which excluded members of the Indonesian Democratic Party citing the party's ongoing schism.[14] East Java was considered important electorally, and many of (disputed) party chairman Megawati Sukarnoputri's internal opponents were based there.[15] Basofi had in the previous year prohibited "politicking" at the 25-year commemoration of Sukarno's death at his grave in Blitar.[16]

On 25 September 1993, four villagers were killed by security forces in Sampang, Madura related to the construction of a dam. With local demands to remove Sampang regent Bagus Hinayana from his post, Basofi instead claimed responsibility and refused to remove Hinayana.[17] He also planned to develop a bridge between Surabaya and Madura, visiting Japan with Vice President B.J. Habibie in 1997 to discuss financing, but the Asian financial crisis shortly afterwards caused the project to be shelved.[18]

He was replaced by Imam Utomo on 26 August 1998.[19]

Later life

Following his retirement from politics, several political parties offered Basofi party positions, but he refused.[20] He also became active within the Nahdlatul Ulama organization, by 2003 becoming chairman of its economic institute.[21] After two years of illness, Basofi died at the Medistra Hospital in Jakarta at 10:58 AM on 7 August 2017, and was buried at the San Diego Hills cemetery in Karawang the following day. He had three children and six grandchildren at the time of his death.[22][23]

References

  1. ^ a b Matanasi, Petrik (2 August 2019). "Jalan Hidup Basofi Sudirman: Jenderal, Gubernur, Penyanyi Dangdut". tirto.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Basofi Wafat, TNI AD Kehilangan Sosok Prajurit Terbaik". ANTARA News Jawa Timur (in Indonesian). 7 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  3. ^ Sejarah TNI-AD, 1945-1973: Peranan TNI-AD dalam mempertahankan negara kesatuan Republik Indonesia (in Indonesian). Dinas Sejarah Militer tentara nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat. 1979. pp. 247–253.
  4. ^ Taum, Yoseph Yapi; Suharyo, Patria Budi; Nugraha, Paternus Eka; Wardana, Sarwo Edi (25 July 2025). Meraih Cahaya: Memori Kolektif Timor-Leste Pascakonflik (in Indonesian). Sanata Dharma University Press. p. 228. ISBN 978-623-143-122-6.
  5. ^ "Para prajurit operasi Seroja Timor Timur yang pernah jadi pejabat". merdeka.com (in Indonesian). 8 December 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  6. ^ "Mendagri Lantik Wagub DKI, Brigjen Basofi". Neraca (in Indonesian). 21 December 1987. p. 1. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Brigjen Basofi Soedirman Besok Dilantik Jadi Wagub". Kompas (in Indonesian). 18 December 1987. p. 3.
  8. ^ a b c Weintraub, Andrew N. (2010). Dangdut Stories: A Social and Musical History of Indonesia's Most Popular Music. Oxford University Press. pp. 152–154. ISBN 978-0-19-988959-4.
  9. ^ "Basofi Sudirman Serahkan Jabatan Wagub DKI Jakarta. Brigjen Idroes Disebut-sebut Calon Pengganti". Kompas (in Indonesian). 13 May 1993. p. 7.
  10. ^ "Mayjen TNI (Purn.) Basofi Sudirman, Penyanyi Dangdut dan Gubernur". blokbojonegoro.com (in Indonesian). 19 June 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  11. ^ "Konser Musik Legendaris". Bali Post (in Indonesian). 29 December 1996. p. 10. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  12. ^ 50 tahun ABRI (in Indonesian). Markas Besar Angkatan Bersenjata, Republik Indonesia, Pusat Sejarah dan Tradisi ABRI. 1995. p. 627.
  13. ^ McMichael, Heath (1998). Economic Change in East Java: Balanced Development Or Skewed Growth?. Asia Research Centre, Special Research Centre on Social, Political and Economic Change in Asia, Murdoch University. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-86905-618-9.
  14. ^ Eklöf, Stefan (2004). Power and Political Culture in Suharto's Indonesia: The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and Decline of the New Order (1986-98). NIAS Press. p. 248. ISBN 978-87-91114-50-2.
  15. ^ Eklöf 2004, p. 230.
  16. ^ Eklöf 2004, p. 236.
  17. ^ Tragedi Waduk Nipah Jilid II (in Indonesian). Tempo Publishing. pp. 11–12. ISBN 978-623-344-476-7.
  18. ^ Nas, Peter J. M. (2005). Directors of Urban Change in Asia. Routledge. p. 196. ISBN 978-1-134-26737-8.
  19. ^ "H. Imam Utomo Gubernur Jawa Timur, 1998-2003 dan 2003-2008" (in Indonesian). East Java Provincial Government. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  20. ^ "Gerindra dan Partai Nasdem Berebut Incar Basofi Sudirman". Republika (in Indonesian). 10 January 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  21. ^ "Makna Pariwisata di Mata PBNU". NU Online (in Indonesian). 13 May 2003. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  22. ^ "Basofi Sudirman Dimakamkan Esok di Sandiego Hills Karawang". CNN Indonesia (in Indonesian). 7 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  23. ^ "Mantan Gubernur Jatim Basofi Soedirman Rencananya Dimakamkan di San Diego Karawang". ANTARA News Jawa Timur (in Indonesian). 7 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
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