Departmental Dispatch 6/1948 BATAVIA, 5 March 1948

SUBJECT: THE THIRD WEST JAVA CONFERENCE
As reported in my telegram No. 45 of 28th February [1], the third
West Java Conference has now become the first session of the
Provisional Parliament of West Java. During the last week the
important developments have been the formation of parties within
the Parliament and the debate on the State Regulation.

2. There are now four parties, the National, Indonesian,
Indonesian Federation and the Unitarians. Little information is
yet available on the composition and strength of these parties,
but it is reported that the Indonesian Party, led by Puridiredja
and Soejoso, is more or less sympathetic to the Republic and with
a membership of about forty commands a substantial majority.

3. On Monday, 1st March, the debate on the State Regulation
commenced, Soejoso's motion calling on the Conference to declare
its recognition of the 'Renville' agreement apparently having been
by-passed. The subject of the debate was a draft Regulation
submitted by the Preparatory Committee of the Conference. This
Regulation envisages a presidential system of government
constituted by a Wali Negara and executive and representative
bodies. The Regulation provides that the Wali Negara must be an
Indonesian who is at least twenty years old and who has resided in
West Java for five years. He is to be elected and to hold office
for four years, being eligible for re-election on retirement. The
executive body is composed of from five to nine ministers,
appointed and dismissed by the Wali Negara. Its function is to
advise and assist the Wali Negara, who in turn is pledged to keep
his ministers informed on all important affairs. The State
administration is carried on by eight Departments: justice,
Administration, Police and Public Security, Finance, Economic
Affairs, Social Affairs, Traffic and Highways, and People's
Health. The Wali Negara appoints the departmental heads and they
are responsible to him alone. Legislative power rests with the
Wali Negara and a representative body of one hundred members,
seventy-five of whom are elected and twenty-five appointed by the
Wali Negara. This body holds only two sessions yearly, but at
these sessions the Wali Negara. can be over-ruled by a two-thirds
majority.

4. As might be expected, during the debate on this Regulation
there was strong criticism of the position assigned to the Wali
Negara and many speakers called for the establishment of an
executive responsible to the Parliament. Finally the Parliament
gave its temporary approval to the Regulation, having appointed a
Sub-Committee to consider various amendments and report back in
two months' time.

5. Yesterday, 4th March, the West Java Conference elected Raden
Adipati Ario Wiranatakusumah as head of the West Java State. Raden
Wiranatakusumah is at present head of the Republican Supreme
Advisory Council and resides at Djokjakarta. He was Home Minister
in the first Republican cabinet under President Soekarno and was
Regent at Bandoeng before the late war. The election was
apparently carried out in a tense atmosphere and resulted in
fifty-four votes for Raden Wirantakusumah against forty-six for
Raden Hilman Djajadiningrat, the present Dutch appointed Civil
Governor of West Java.

6. Last night I attended a function at which many Dutch and
Republican officials were present. The election of course was a
topic of conversation, and I gauge the first reaction as a shock
to the Dutch, who nevertheless point out the democratic procedure
of the Conference for such a result to occur. The Republicans are
jubilant and foreign diplomats generally regard the appointment of
a Republican as Head of the West Java State as the best thing that
could happen for the present confused political situation in
Indonesia.