Tan Malaka

Life & Legacy

Ibrahim Simabua Datuak Sutan Malaka (2 June 1897 – 21 February 1949), also known as Tan Malaka, was an Indonesian statesman, teacher, Marxist, and philosopher who was the founder of Struggle Union (Persatuan Perjuangan) and the Murba Party. He is also known as the Indonesian fighter, national hero, an independent guerrilla, and a spy.
In his youth, Tan Malaka was a member of Sarekat Islam and the ISDV. In 1922, he became the first Dutch immigrant to run in a Dutch General election. He also served as the principal Comintern agent for Southeast Asia, standing as a peer to Ho Chi Minh and Sun Yat-sen. He also helped shape the nationalist movement in Malaya and the Philippines by mentoring figures such as Ibrahim Yaacob and Crisanto Evangelista. He is also known for being the first person to conceptualize the Indonesian nation-state. His writings would also inspire the lyrics for "Indonesia Raya" and Sukarno's revolutionary movement.
Among Indonesians, he has been referred to as the "Father of the Republic of Indonesia" (Indonesian: Bapak Republik Indonesia), a designation first used by Muhammad Yamin, and later by Tempo. Due to his clandestine past, he is also monikered as "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (Indonesian: Patjar Merah).