Sabam Gunung Panangian Sirait was an Indonesian politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives and the Regional Representative Council.
23 Facts About Sabam Sirait
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Sabam Sirait is the father of politician Maruarar Sirait, who serves as minister of housing and settlement.
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Sabam Sirait was born on 13 October 1936, in Tanjungbalai, Sultanate of Asahan, Residency of Sumatra's East Coast, Dutch East Indies.
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Sabam Sirait's father, Frederick Hendra Sirait, was an employee in the Ministry of Public Works who would later become one of the founders of the Indonesian Christian Party.
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Sabam Sirait was active as chairman of the Jakarta branch of the Indonesian Christian Student Movement.
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Sabam Sirait quickly rose through the ranks: in 1961 he became the Vice General Secretary of Parkindo, and seven years later he became the General Secretary of the Party.
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Sabam Sirait argued that all of the elements of society should work together to overcome the situation.
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The result of the fusion was broadcast widely by the media, and three days later, the Central Leadership Council of the Indonesian Democratic Party was formed, with Sabam Sirait elected as the General Secretary of the party.
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Sabam Sirait frequently brought up the matter in his first term as a member of the People's Representative Council, by drafting laws against monopolies.
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Sabam Sirait was often laughed at by his colleagues when he brought up the matter.
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Sabam Sirait raised the matter again when he became a member of the Supreme Advisory Council.
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Sabam Sirait argued that had the law been ratified in 1987, Indonesia would have been able to avoid the financial crisis.
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In 1992, during a session chaired by the Speaker of the People's Representative Council Wahono, Sabam Sirait interrupted the session and proceeded to Wahono's table to ask for the amendment of the current Decree of the People's Representative Assembly about the general elections, which he deemed undemocratic.
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Sabam Sirait openly supported the recognition of Palestine and criticized Israel for frequent harassment of the Palestinian people.
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Sabam Sirait believed that the suffering of the Palestinian people should be felt by all Indonesian people and Christian people.
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Since 2007, Sabam Sirait attended various demonstrations in support of the Palestinian cause, which were organized mostly by the Prosperous Justice Party.
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Sabam Sirait frequently lauded the party for its consistent support of the Palestinian cause through demonstrations and regular donations.
18.
Sabam Sirait criticized his party and other parties that did not show support for the recognition of Palestine.
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Sabam Sirait has frequently proposed to the government to name one of the streets in Jakarta in honor of Palestine.
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Sabam Sirait contested the 2014 Indonesian legislative election as the candidate of the Regional Representative Council for the Jakarta constituency.
21.
Sabam Sirait stood again in the 2019 Indonesian legislative election as a candidate of the Regional Representative Council for the Jakarta constituency.
22.
Sabam Sirait married Sondang Sidabutar, a doctor from the University of North Sumatra, on 25 March 1969.
23.
Sabam Sirait died in Siloam Hospital, Tangerang, on 29 September 2021 at the age of 84, two weeks short of his 85th birthday.