36 Facts About Adam Malik

Adam Malik Batubara was an Indonesian politician, diplomat, and journalist, who served as the third vice president of Indonesia from 1978 until 1983, under President Suharto.

Adam Malik grew up relatively comfortably, and was educated at the Hollandsch-Inlandsche School.

Adam Malik pioneered the establishment of the Antara news agency in 1937, and was an active supporter of Indonesian independence, being put in prison for disobeying the Colonial Government's ban on political assemblies.

Adam Malik continued to serve in government, following the fall of Sukarno.

Adam Malik died on 5 September 1984, in Bandung, due to liver cancer.

Adam Malik's body was interred in the Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery.

Adam Malik Batubara was born on 22 July 1917, in Pematangsiantar, North Sumatra.

Adam Malik was born into a Batak Mandailing Muslim family of the Batubara clan.

Adam Malik's father was Abdul Malik Batubara and his mother was Salamah Lubis.

Adam Malik's family was relatively wealthy, with his parents both being traders.

Adam Malik received his basic education at the Hollandsch-Inlandsche School, in Pematangsiantar.

Adam Malik continued his education at the Sumatra Thawalib Islamic Boarding School Parabek in Bukittinggi, however he returned home to help his parents just a year and a half later.

Adam Malik started his involvement in politics in 1930 in Pematangsiantar.

Adam Malik would become the Chairman of the Pematang Siantar branch of Partindo when he was 17.

Once he was freed, Adam Malik left Pematang Siantar for Jakarta.

When he turned 20, Adam Malik, sought a career in journalism.

At the time, Adam Malik was then appointed to be the editor as well as the deputy director of Antara.

Apart from working for Antara, Adam Malik wrote a number of articles for several newspapers, including the Pelita Andalas newspaper and Partindo magazine.

Adam Malik played an important role in the events leading up to Indonesia's declaration of independence.

Adam Malik became one of the founding figures and members of the People's Party, founder of the Murba Party, and in 1956, he succeeded in serving as a member of the People's Representative Council which was born from the results of the 1955 general election.

Adam Malik would go on to serve as Minister for Trade from 1963 until 1964 before being appointed Minister for the Implementation of the Guided Economy in Sukarno's Cabinet.

Adam Malik was then appointed as Chairman of the Delegation of the Republic of Indonesia for negotiations between Indonesia and the Netherlands regarding the West Irian region in Washington, DC, United States.

Together with General Abdul Haris Nasution and Ruslan Abdulgani, Adam Malik was despised by the PKI for his anti-Communist stance.

In 1965, as per archives from CIA, Adam Malik reportedly received Rp.

Adam Malik quit the Murba Party that year to put himself more in line with the new regime's more open economic policies.

Around this time, Adam Malik would represent Indonesia and deputise for Suharto in summits, as early in his presidency, Suharto was not interested in foreign policy.

Adam Malik had a number of differences with Suharto's Indonesian National Armed Forces Generals such as General Maraden Panggabean over the way in which Indonesia should approach its Foreign Policy in Southeast Asia.

Adam Malik adopted a softer stance towards the People's Republic of China, which the Suharto regime saw as supporters of the Indonesian Communist Party.

In 1971, Adam Malik was chosen as President of the United Nations General Assembly.

Adam Malik was briefly involved in the crisis that would lead to the invasion of East Timor.

Adam Malik had assured an East Timorese delegation led by Jose Ramos-Horta that Indonesia would not be involved in the crisis in East Timor.

In 1977, Adam Malik was replaced as Foreign Minister as he took on the Chairmanship of the People's Consultative Assembly.

In 1981, Adam Malik commented on the corruption in the regime, referring it as an "epidemic".

Adam Malik died on 5 September 1984, due to liver cancer.

Adam Malik's body was interred in the Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery.

Adam Malik was married to Nelly Malik, the second daughter of a Minangkabau nomadic couple.