Mohammad Roem
Mohammad Roem was an Indonesian politician and diplomat. He served in various positions during his career in government, including as Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Deputy Prime Minister of Indonesia. He played a central role in negotiating the Roem–Van Roijen Agreement during the Indonesian National Revolution, which laid the groundwork for the Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference wherein the Dutch finally recognized the sovereignty of Indonesia.
Born into a Javanese family, Roem studied law at the Rechts Hogeschool in Batavia, during which time he had become politically active in the nationalist movement. After graduating, he worked as a lawyer during the Japanese occupation period. Following the proclamation of independence in 1945, Roem joined the newly formed Republican government where he emerged as an able diplomat and became the Republic's principal negotiator with the Dutch. After the handover of sovereignty in 1949, Roem remained active in politics and the Masyumi Party. Opposed to President Sukarno's Guided Democracy, he was arrested and jailed in 1961. Following his release in 1966, after Sukarno fell from power, he was elected chairman of the Parmusi Party. However, he was prevented from taking office by the new regime. He devoted most of his remaining years to studying and writing. He died in 1983.
Early life
Roem was born in Parakan, Temanggung, Central Java, on May 16, 1908. His father's name was Dulkarnaen Djojosasmito, and his mother's name was Siti Tarbijah. He moved to Pekalongan because Parakan was hit by an outbreak of infectious diseases like cholera, plague, and influenza. In 1915, he studied at Volksschool and two years later continued to Hollandse Inlandsche School until 1924. In 1924, he received a scholarship to study at the School tot Opleiding van Inlandsche Artsen after attending government examinations. Three years later, he completed the preliminary test was transferred to Algemene Middelbare School, and graduated in 1930. After attending the admission test of Medical College, and being rejected, he turned to law, entering Rechts Hoogeschool in 1932 and obtaining the degree Meester in de Rechten in 1939.Career
During the Indonesian national awakening, he was active in several organizations such as Jong Islamieten Bond in 1924 and Sarekat Islam in 1925. During the revolution, he was a member of the Indonesian delegation at the Linggarjati Agreement and Renville Agreement. In 1949, he was also the leader of the delegation at the Roem–Van Roijen Agreement, which discussed Indonesia's borders, and which was signed on May 7, 1949.As a state official, he served as interior minister in the Sjahrir III Cabinet, foreign minister during the Natsir Cabinet, interior minister during the Wilopo Cabinet, and deputy prime minister during the Ali Sastroamidjojo II Cabinet.