This biography of Baginda Dahlan Abdoellah opens access to a life story that was almost forgotten, superseded as it was by later and more lasting developments. Dahlan Abdoellah, from West Sumatra,... Show moreThis biography of Baginda Dahlan Abdoellah opens access to a life story that was almost forgotten, superseded as it was by later and more lasting developments. Dahlan Abdoellah, from West Sumatra, went to study at a Sekolah Guru in the Netherlands in 1913, together with Tan Malaka. He was involved in radical actions as a board member of the Perhimpunan Hindia in 1918, the first time Indonesian independence was publicly articulated. After assisting Prof. Van Ronkel in teaching Malay at Universiteit Leiden, he remained a counsellor of the Perhimpunan Indonesia, when it, during the twenties, under the leadership of Mohammad Hatta, turned to a radical course, opposing the Dutch colonial rulers. When back in Indonesia in 1924 Dahlan Abdullah remained a fierce proponent of Indonesian independence, until he, as the Ambassador of the United Republic of Indonesia (RIS), died in 1950. He was active in Parindra and member of the Jakarta local council, even te become a mayor. Suryadi has done a wonderful job, first to collect all kinds of unknown sources on Dahlan Abdoellah, and then organizing his biography to establish Dahlan Abdoellah as a true perintis and pahlawan kemerdekaan Indonesia. Specific mention must be made of the translation in Indonesian of the journal he published in a Dutch newspaper (De Telegraaf) on his ziarah ke Mekah – a rare and valuable source. Show less
