INSIDE REPORT: WHITHER SUBANDIO

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000700410016-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 17, 2004
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: March 15, 1965
• Content Type: NSPR

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Approved For Release 2005/01/05 CI AD 75-q01 9A001
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Whither Stband1io
By Rowland Evans and Robert Novak In January he again launched' IL quiet campaign to
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JAKARTA, Indonesia. ease Gen. lvasuuan out of ule? Defense MMM
Dr Subandrio is not only Indonesia's articulate . without results.'
trade but' not the far more ? important, foreign tradeThe PKI, assisted by Dr. Subandrio, persuaded the
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the Ministry of Foreign Trade, until December Under an effort to undercut the growing iniiuence of the
;the jurisdiction of Adam Malik. Malik still runs insular PKI and to replace it with their own.
He also controls the BPI (Indonesia's intelligence the ,spontaneous "Body for the Promotion of Sukarno-
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agency), the Antara News Agency (virtually the, sole' Ism" late last year, in which anti-Communist political
.last-rising'Foreign Minister. Dr. Subandrio took a major part in undermining
both the propaganda and economic organizations created ' Invisible Government," a best-selling American book
to support President Sukarno's "crush Malaysia" policy 1 on the Central' Intelligence Agency, which deals with
division.
' Dr. Subandrio wears still other hats. He controls,
Malaysia. The "Body for the Promotion of Sukarnoism" was
Inasmuch as the Malaysia Issue Is to President: not only.destroyed by Dr. Subandrio and the PKI,, but ,,sl
Sukarno today what the New Deal, was to FDR? in the i. its 'destruction also served as a pretext for new repres
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30s-that is, the be-all and 'end-all of,government-t.his sion of non-Communist influences throughout the coun
puts Dr. Subandrio athwart .every important policy
decision of the government. All In all, Dr.. Subandrio
Iii a man to reckon with.
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foreign trade. Subandrio can give or withhold final' ;' BPS affair was thet army As Dr. Subandrio and the'-? j
3?approval of highly lucrative contracts with foreign con-,. i PKY'forge what 'is assumed to be their common link for terns bidding for the government's business. the' Climactic. struggle when he :Sukarno era ends; the
As a result of the rapid rise of Dr.. Subandrio, I only organized' force to oppose' them is the army.
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' Consider the power inherent In the ? control 'of. 1` `
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sent auKarno-s neir apparent. '.rnis prospect is arousing
t' intense concern among moderate political elements :.:y
whose voice Is quiet today but whose Influence could
' be vital after the idolized President (whose health today..;
seems good enough) departs the scene.
The reason for the concern is Dr. Subandrio's grow-
Ing intimacy with the PKI (the Communist' party of
i Indonesia). Although President Sukarno himself is on Intimate terms with the PKI, he is 'the boss, drawing 4
his support from every segment of the . population, not.,
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just the PKI. ..
But Dr: Subandrio lacks a political base. TO succeed
Sukarno, he would need the active support of the PKI:
And once in power, his ability to, stay there would depend on the continued support of the PKI. The CoM-
in its own basket. Dr. Subandrio would be in, the PKI's d
political debt to'an extent that alarms Indonesia's anti-:,.
Communists, particularly the army, and that forebodes.!,?
f'. ill for America's declining Influence in this strategic '
area.
ti There is evidence that Dr. Subandrio is quite aware
?'of this concern by the army and has attempted to deal
with it. Last' August the Foreign Minister ddvised the
President that. Gen. Nasutian, the senior and' most,
prestigious officer of 'the , army, was in league . with !t
the Americans and 'ougI t to be. retired.. Sukarno ,Was
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Approved For Release -2005/01,/05.: CIA-CRDP75-00149RQOb700410
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try, leaving Dr. Subandrio and -the "PKI on an even '
higher crest of influence.