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Ali Sadikin (7 July 1926 – 20 May 2008) was an Indonesian politician who served as the fourth governor of Jakarta from 1966 until 1977. Prior to becoming governor, he served as Minister of Transportation from 1963 until 1966 and Coordinating Minister for Marine Affairs from 1964 until 1966. He also served as Chairman of the Football Association of Indonesia from 1977 until 1981. Born to parents of ethnic-Sundanese people descent, Ali attended the Semarang Shipping Science Polytechnic during the Japanese occupation period. During the Indonesian National Revolution, he joined the People's Security Agency Navy, the predecessor to the Indonesian Navy, and fought against the Dutch during Operation Product and Operation Kraai. Following the end of the national revolution, Ali remained in the navy and fought against the Permesta rebel movement in the late 1950s.
In 1963, he was appointed Minister of Transportation by President Sukarno. A year later, he was appointed coordinating minister of the newly formed Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investments Affairs. On 28 April 1966, Ali was appointed governor of Jakarta, becoming the first governor in Indonesia to be sworn-in at the Merdeka Palace. As governor, Ali carried out the construction of Jakarta's infrastructure. He constructed the Ismail Marzuki Park, Ragunan Zoo, Ancol Dreamland, and a number of other infrastructure projects. Notably, Ali allowed the construction of night entertainment projects, as well allowing entertainment in the form of gambling in Jakarta. With taxes generating from gambling being used to build the city and build the Jakarta Islamic Centre. Ali's governorship also saw the revival of Betawi people in Jakarta, with the increased popularity of Ondel-ondel and the Betawi mask dance.
Ali also tried to halt migration into Jakarta by declaring the city closed to newcomers. He issued residency cards in hope of enforcing the policy, but failed to curtail population growth.Forbes, Dean. "Jakarta: Globalization, economic crisis, and social change," pp. 268-298, in Josef Gugler (ed.), World Cities beyond the West: Globalization, Development and Inequality, p. 273 One of the earliest and most outspoken advocates of family planning, Sadikin showed that Muslim groups would support these policies.Blackburn, Susan. Women and the State in Modern Indonesia Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 152; see also a Ford Foundation report:[1] Under Sadikin, Jakartan pilgrimage to Mecca and other holy places surged.Bianchi, Robert R. 2004. Guests of God: Pilgrimage and Politics in the Islamic World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 185. Hungry for revenue for his projects, Sadikin legalized gambling and steambaths (de facto brothels), much to the outrage of many Muslim groups.Dick, Howard and Peter J. Rimmer, 2003. Cities, Transport and Communications: The Integration of Southeast Asia Since 1850., NY: Palgrave Macmillan. p 283; Effendy, Bahtiar. 2004. Islam and the State in Indonesia: Islam and the State in Indonesia. Athens, OH: Ohio University Press. p. 49. Although Sadikin's restructuring of land in Jakarta displaced countless urban poor, he also advocated for the LBH, the Legal Aid Society; an organization which was used by both the private sector and the urban poor.
Ali also carried out the construction of Jakarta's infrastructure. Notably, he oversaw the construction and inauguration of Ismail Marzuki Park, an arts, cultural, and science center located at Cikini in Jakarta, Indonesia, on the site of what was then the Ragunan Zoo. Taman Ismail Marzuki complex comprises a number of facilities including six performing arts theaters, cinemas, exhibition hall, gallery, libraries and an archive building. He also oversaw the moving of Ragunan zoo to its present location, which was officially reopened on June 22, 1966, managed by the city administration. His administration also saw the development of Ancol Dreamland, a resort destination located along Jakarta's waterfront, in Ancol (Kelurahan), Pademangan, Indonesia, on the site of what was previously a mosquito-infested swamps and fish ponds, and the source of century-old malaria outbreak in Jakarta. The first facility was the Bina Ria Ancol beach, best known for its drive-in theater especially during the 1970s, then followed with a golf course, swimming pool, oceanarium, Putri Duyung cottage, Hotel Horison and its casino. Ali's administration was also responsible for the construction of the Senen.
During the 1960s, he founded an advocacy group for the waria. In 1975, Sadikin famously attended the wedding of Indonesia's first trans woman legally recognised as her true gender, Vivian Rubianti. After having allegedly "allowed" Golkar to lose an election in Jakarta, Sadikin was removed from office.Aspinall, Edward. 2005. "Regime Friction and Elite Dissidence," pp. 49-85 in Opposing Suharto: Compromise, Resistance, and Regime Change in Indonesia. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press. p. 63 Despite Sadikin's heavy-handed urban reforms, he is often cited as a popular leader.Dick and Rimmer 2003. In 1978, mass student protests embroiled the capital, and students nominated Sadikin as an alternative president.Kingsbury, Damien. 2002. The Politics of Indonesia, 2nd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 87
Participants of the Petition of Fifty included a group of powerful and highly influential critics of the New Order, including former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces General Abdul Haris Nasution, former National Police Chief Hoegeng Imam Santoso, and former Prime Ministers Burhanuddin Harahap and Mohammad Natsir. Ali also helped found and led the Petition of Fifty. Reportedly, he regularly hosted meetings of the petition at his home. Though he remained a resolute Statism in favor of militarism, he opposed President Suharto's consolidation of power in the government and military (ABRI). It is likely that Sadikin's stature and popularity both bolstered the Petition of Fifty and helped to shield it from more severe repression.Aspinall, Edward. 2005. "Regime Friction and Elite Dissidence," pp. 49-85 in Opposing Suharto: Compromise, Resistance, and Regime Change in Indonesia. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press. p. 61, 65
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