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Major General
Soedardjat Nataatmadja

Member of the People's Representative Council

In office
1 October 1997 – 1 October 1999
President Suharto
Constituency South Kalimantan
Vice Governor of Irian Jaya
In office
8 February 1989 – 26 May 1993
President Suharto
Governor Barnabas Suebu
Jacob Pattipi
Preceded by Poedjono Pranyoto
Succeeded by Basyir Bachtiar
Regent of Bogor
In office
4 October 1983 – 4 October 1988
Governor Aang Kunaefi Kartawiria
Yogie Suardi Memet
Preceded by Ayip Rughby
Succeeded by Eddie Yoso Martadipura
Personal details
Born 30 June 1938
Bandung, West Java, Dutch East Indies
Died 6 December 2020 (aged 82)
Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
Political party Golkar
Spouse Ratuningsih
Signature
Nickname(s) Kang Dardjat,[1] Endjat[2]
Military service
Allegiance Indonesia
Branch/service Army
Years of service 1963–1993
Rank Major General
Unit Zeni (CZI)
Soedardjat Nataatmadja (PSS: Sudarjat Nataatmaja, 30 June 1938 – 6 December 2020)
was an Indonesian politician who served as the Regent of Bogor from 1983 until
1988, the Vice Governor of Irian Jaya from 1989 until 1993, Inspector General of
the Ministry of Internal Affairs from 1993 until 1997, and as the member of the
People's Representative Council from 1997 until 1999.

Born into the Sundanese nobility, Soedardjat enrolled at the Padjadjaran University
in 1958, though he dropped out two years later in favor of the National Military
Academy. He began his service in the military in 1963 with the rank of first
lieutenant. From 1963 until 1983, he was assigned various military posts, starting
from East Kalimantan, Jakarta, and West Java.

In 1983, he was elected as the Regent of Bogor. One of his hallmarks during his
term as regent was Operation Government Dignity, which was aimed at countering the
growth of illegal constructions and expansions. Although he was elected to a second
term, his re-election was not approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs, and he
was transferred to Irian Jaya in 1989 and served as a Vice Governor for four years.

Nataatmadja returned to Jakarta in 1993, along with his appointment as the

Inspector General of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. As the inspector general, he
introduced several reforms concerning regional government inspection and led a team
to investigate the Sri Roso Sudarmo scandal. He ended his term in 1997 after he was
elected as a member of the People's Representative Council.

Early life
Soedardjat Nataatmadja was born on 30 June 1938 in Bandung, West Java, Dutch East
Indies, as the son of Moerjani Nataatmadja and Ratu Soelasmi. His father, Moerjani,
was a Sundanese aristocrat who served as the Regent of Lebak, Regent of Bogor, and
the Resident of Bogor, while his mother, Ratu Soelasmi was also an aristocrat.[1]
[3]

Nataatmadja began his studies at the 8th People's School (equivalent to elementary
school) in Cirebon in 1945 and graduated from the elementary school in 1951. He
then enrolled at the 2nd Junior High School in Bandung, graduated in 1955, enrolled
at the 4th High School Section B in Bandung, and graduated in 1958.[1]

Shortly after he graduated from high school, Nataatmadja enrolled at the Doctoral
Faculty of the Padjadjaran University in 1958 but dropped out two years later due
to his interest in joining the National Military Academy. He graduated from the
Academy in 1963 with the rank of first lieutenant.[1]

Military career
After his graduation, Nataatmadja was deployed to East Kalimantan, at the
Mulawarman Regional Military Command, where he became a combat engineer officer in
the military command. In 1972, he was transferred back to Jakarta, where he became
the head of the bureau in the Indonesian Army Headquarters until 1979.[1]

In 1979, Nataatmadja was appointed as the Commander of the Sukabumi Military

District. Two years later, in 1981, he was transferred to Bogor, where he became
the Chief of Staff of the Bogor Military Regiment.[1]

Nataatmadja retired from the military several months after his resignation from the
vice governor's office.[4]

Regent of Bogor

Soedardjat Nataatmadja, Regent of Bogor

Soedradjat Nataatmadja (far left) accompanying Minister of Internal Affairs

Soepardjo Roestam in an inspection of the civil defense force
Election and inauguration
At the election for the Regent of Bogor, Nataatmadja won with 28 out of 40 votes
cast. He was inaugurated as the Regent of Bogor for the 1983–1988 term on 4 October
1983 by Governor of West Java Aang Kunaefi.[5] Following his inauguration, he was
promoted from lieutenant colonel to colonel.[2]

Operation Government Dignity

Since the 1960s, there was an increase in illegal construction and expansion on the
Puncak in Bogor. In response to this, the Sukarno administration enacted the
Presidential Decree No. 13 of 1963, which handed over the authorization of
construction in the area to the Ministry of Public Works.[6] Twenty years later, in
1983, the Suharto administration amended the decree to conform with the situation
at that time. Although the amendment still gave the coordinating authority to the
Ministry of Public Works, the gubernatorial and regency government were given more
autonomy to implement decisions regarding the illegal construction.[7]

In response to the amendment, which gave the regents authority to handle the
illegal construction and expansion, Nataatmadja initiated the Operasi Wibawa Praja
(Operation Government Dignity). The main goal of the operation was to demolish
illegal construction that had no building permits. The demolition team, composed of
military forces, police, civilian defense forces and municipal police, were
equipped with bulldozers and other demolition tools. The operation was first
undertaken in January 1985. The first building that was demolished under this
operation was a villa complex, which was built over the ruins of a tea plantation.
[8]

The Tempo magazine remarked that the Wibawa Praja Operation was praised for its
firmness and was continued by Nataatmadja successors.[9] In an interview,
Nataatmadja stated that the operation was part of this effort to implement a "clean
and capable government" in Bogor[10] and as a "shock therapy to aware the people to
be more careful".[11]

Sundanese culture and rejection for reelection

Nataatmadja was an avid supporter of Sundanese culture. Nataatmadja endorsed plans
to hold a Sundanese language congress,[1] which at that time was dormant, with the
previous congress being held almost thirty years before.[12] The plans for the
congress were proposed by Uu Rukman and Acil Bimbo, Sundanese humanists.[1]
Nataatmadja offered his regency, Bogor, as the venue for the congress. The congress
was held on 20 January 1988 in the village of Cipayung.[13]

At the special session of the Bogor Regional People's Representative Council, which
was held to elect the regent for the next term, Nataatmadja instructed observers to
wear traditional Sundanese clothing. Although he managed to be reelected, his
instructions to wear traditional Sundanese clothing infuriated the Minister of
Internal Affairs at that time, Rudini, who considered Nataatmadja to be violating
the rules.[1] This incident culminated in Rudini refusing to recognize the
reelection of Nataatmadja.[14] The council soon picked other candidates and a
second election was held.[14] Eddie Yoso Martadipura, an MP from the Armed Forces
Faction, won the second election and was inaugurated on 4 October 1988.[15]

After Rudini rejected Nataatmadja for his second term, the government of Bogor
offered Nataatmadja a black Toyota Cressida as a gift.[16] However, the offer was
soon known by Rudini, and he instructed the Bogor government to cancel the offer.
[17]

Vice Governor of Irian Jaya

Soedardjat Nataatmadja, shortly after his inauguration as Vice Governor.

Inauguration of Soedradjat Nataatmadja (far left) as the Vice Governor of Irian

Jaya.
Nataatmadja was inaugurated as the Vice Governor of Irian Jaya on 8 February 1989.
[18] He resigned from the office on 26 May 1993.[19] The office was left vacant for
four months until Basyir Bachtiar was inaugurated as the new Vice Governor on 21
September 1993.[20]

Inspector General of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

Following his resignation from the office of Vice Governor, Nataatmadja was
promoted as the Inspector General of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 1993.
During his term, he handled various cases relating to the regional government in
Indonesia, most notably the Sri Roso Sudarmo scandal. He ended his office on 25
September 1997, six days before he was inaugurated as a member of the People's
Representative Council. He was replaced by Andi Jalal Bachtiar.[21]

Inspection reform
Several months after his appointment as inspector general, Nataatmadja began a new
program aimed at increasing the accountability of provincial governors. The program
involved a joint inspection of the provincial inventory conducted by the
inspectorate general, Financial and Development Supervisory Agency, and the Audit
Board of Indonesia. Almost all provinces in Indonesia were reluctant to permit the
joint inspection, except Southeast Sulawesi. The joint inspection began its task in
Southeast Sulawesi in early 1994, and the results of the inspection were announced
on 2 May 1994. Nataatmadja announced that the joint inspection found 192 cases of
legal wrongdoings and maladministrations in the province.[22]

Before 1995, the results of the joint inspection were only announced to the
provincial government. After the joint inspections in Irian Jaya, the results of
the joint inspection were announced to all of the parties involved in the
inspection. The announcement was dubbed by Nataatmadja as the Gelar Pengawasan
(Inspection Roll-Out).[23]

On 10 October 1995, Nataatmadja announced his plans to inspect the works of

governors and regents yearly. His first inspection was aimed at Abdul Azis
Lamadjido, Governor of Central Sulawesi, who would end his second term in February
1996. For this inspection, Nataatmadja formed a team consisting of 25 officials
from the inspectorate general.[24]

Sri Roso Sudarmo scandal

See also: Murder of Udin
Colonel Sri Roso Sudarmo, a regent in Bantul, was accused of bribing President
Suharto's Dharmais Foundation with money amounted to Rp. 1 billion (US$111,000) in
order to get himself reelected. After this case was made public, Minister of
Internal Affairs Yogie Suardi Memet dispatched a team[25] led by Nataatmadja to
investigate the scandal.[26] The investigation commenced on 7 December 1996.[27]

The results of the investigation were announced in a press conference on 13

December. At the press conference, Nataatmadja stated that Sudarmo admitted that an
unnamed mystic and his colleagues promised Sudarmo a second term if Sudarmo gave
him Rp. 2.5 billion (US$277,500). However, after some bargaining, the mystic agreed
to lower the price to 1 billion. The mystic then urged Sudarmo to sign a letter.
After Sudarmo was elected to a second term, Sudarmo refused to pay the money. The
mystic then leaked the letter to the media. Although the ministry had admitted that
Sudarmo attempted to bribe a mystic, the ministry found no evidence of corruption
or mishandling of village funds.[28] Thus, the minister of internal affairs only
gave Sudarmo a mild warning in the form of a written letter of dissatisfaction from
the minister. The letter was delivered to Sudarmo five days after the investigation
had commenced.[29]

The media considered Nataatmadja and Sudarmo's explanation to be "intricate and

unbelievable". Columnists from the Bernas newspaper questioned how a mystic could
fool the regent, a 20-year veteran from the armed forces, and why Sudarmo would
sign a letter that would implicate him far more than it did any alleged swindlers.
However, Bernas failed to find any evidence contrary to the official explanation,
and the question remained a mere supposition.[30]

Organization
During his tenure as inspector general, Nataatmadja held several offices in various
organizations. He was appointed as the Chairman of the Karate Kyushin-ryū from 1993
to 2001, advisor to the Union of West Javan Populace in Jakarta from 1995, advisor
to the Union of National Construction Entrepreneur from 2000, Deputy Chair of the
National Sports Committee of Indonesia from 1995 to 1998,[31] and member of the
National Council of the 45' Generation since 1993.[1]

Member of the People's Representative Council

After he resigned from the office of inspector general, Nataatmadja was nominated
by the Golkar party as a candidate for the People's Representative Council
representing South Kalimantan. When the party list of Golkar for the South
Kalimantan constituency was announced, a coalition of fourteen different youth
organizations in South Kalimantan protested Nataatmadja's nomination. Nataatmadja,
along with several other candidates, were rejected and refused by the coalition due
to their lack of notability in the province.[32] However, the party was reluctant
to remove Nataatmadja's name from the list and Nataatmadja was eventually elected
to office.[21]

In the council, Nataatmadja became the member of the committee for the amendment of
the regional autonomy law. He stated his support for the implementation of regional
autonomy in Indonesia. However, he also pointed out that the misinterpretation of
the law could cause "little kings" — regents and governors who misuse their power —
to flourish in Indonesia.[33]

Nataatmadja was named as a possible candidate for the 1998 West Java gubernatorial
election. He did not manage to contest the election.[34]

Later life
Nataatmadja retired from the military and bureaucracy and returned to his house in
Bogor. In 2009, Nataatmadja became the commissioner of the Zebra Nusantara[35] and
the Steady Safe[36] company.

Personal life
Nataatmadja was married to Ratuningsih. They had two children, Sudarmadji and
Ratuningrat.[1]

Nataatmadja died at the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital in Jakarta on 6 December 2020.
[37]

Awards and honours

Nataatmadja received the following honors :[1]

Star of the Armed Forces (8, 16, and 24 years) (?)

Star of the Scouting Movement (1987)
Star of the Department of Internal Affairs (1995)
Award from the Pikiran Rakyat newspaper (2001)
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Categories: 1938 births2020 deathsPeople from BogorPoliticians from
BandungIndonesian generalsSundanese peopleGolkar politiciansRegents of BogorVice
governors of Irian Jaya
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