Sutan Mohammad Amin Nasution

Nasution was born on 22 February 1904 in Lhoknga, Aceh Besar, by the name Krueng Raba Nasution. He was born as the son of Muhammad Taif, a man of Aceh ethnicity and Siti Madinah, a woman of Batak Mandailing ethnicity. He was the fifth child of the six children his parents had.[1]

Nasution went to study at the Europeesche Lagere School (ELS, European Primary School) in Sabang in 1912. Three years later, in 1915, he moved to the ELS in Solok, and in 1916, he moved again to the ELS in Sibolga and the ELS in Tanjung Pinang until he finally graduated in 1918.[1]

After graduating from the school, he went to study at the STOVIA (medicine school) in Batavia in 1919. At the STOVIA, he became active in the student movements and joined the Jong Sumatranen Bond (Union of Sumatran Students). He only learn at the STOVIA for two years, until he left in 1921.[1]

In 1921, Nasution went to study at the Meer Uitgebreid Lager Onderwijs (MULO, Junior High School). His academic achievements at the high school meant that he was accepted as a student in the Algemeene Middelbare School (AMS, High School) in Jogjakarta. During his time in the AMS, he was introduced to nationalist ideology by his friend Muhammad Yamin. By the mid-1927, he graduated from the AMS with a good score, and continued his study at the Rechtschoogeschool (Higher Law School) in Batavia.[2]

During his study at the Rechtschoogeschool, he became one of the founding members of the Young Indonesians organization. The organization would later held the Second Youth Congress in Batavia.[3][4]

After his graduation, he finally obtained the Meester in de Rechten (Mr., Master of Laws) degree and on 16 July 1934, he began his career as an attorney in Kutaraja, Aceh. He went against his father, which wanted him to work as a civil employee in the Dutch East Indies government.[3]

About seven years after his career began, Japanese forces occupied Aceh. During the Japanese occupation, he worked as an judge in Sigli.[3]

One year after his appointment as a judge, he was transferred as a director of the Kutaraja High School. He also became a teacher there.[3]

During this time, he became the member of the Great Indonesia Party.[4]

After the Japanese surrendered on 15 August 1945, the independence of Indonesia was proclaimed on 17 August 1945. The Indonesian government quickly set up provinces and appointed governors to the provinces. The Sumatran province, which consisted of the North Sumatra, Central Sumatra, and South Sumatra sub-province was formed, and Teuku Muhammad Hasan was inaugurated as the governor of the province on 29 September 1945. The North Sumatra sub-province consisted of Aceh, Tapanuli, and East Sumatra Residency.[5]

As the governor of Sumatra, Hasan appointed three junior governors to act as his deputies in the residencies. Nasution was inaugurated by Hasan as the Junior Governor of North Sumatra on 14 April 1947. His inauguration was held at the Elephant Division II building in Siantar, and was attended by Teuku Muhammad Daudsjah, the Resident of Aceh, Ferdinand Lumbantobing, the Resident of North Sumatra, and Abubakar Jaar, the Resident of East Sumatra.[6][4]

At first, it was decided that the capital of the North Sumatra sub-province was Medan, but due to the occupation of Medan by the Dutch army, it was decided that the location of Nasution's inauguration, Siantar, as the capital of the sub-province. Some time later, Siantar was occupied by the Dutch army, so the government of the sub-province decided to move the capital to Kutaraja, Aceh.[7]

Even though Siantar was occupied by the Dutch army, Nasution recklessly visited his mother's house in the Mandailing Village in Siantar. When Nasution arrived, his mother's house was surrounded by the Dutch army. He was arrested and brought to Medan under tight escort. He was put into house arrest under a heavy surveillance in a home owned by a man named Yusuf.[7]

During his house arrest, Nasution observed the preparations for the formation of the State of East Sumatra, which was attended by notable figures in East Sumatra. He noted that there are some sympathizers to the Republic of Indonesia that participated in the preparations. He also figured out underground movements acting against the state.[7]

After 40 days under house arrest, Nasution fled from the house. He left Medan for the Penang, and after several days in Penang, he went back to Aceh.[7] On 17 January 1948, he was temporarily relieved from his position as the Junior Governor of North Sumatra, and was appointed as the member of the Supreme Army Court and was given a nominal rank of major general, despite having no military experience.[8]

During his time working in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Amin became a major proponent for the concept of regional autonomy. He became the chairman of the Committee for the Regional Division of Indonesia. He seated the position until 31 August 1956.[18]

At 12:15 on 16 April 1993, Nasution died at the Indonesian Navy Hospital in Jakarta. He was buried at the Tanah Kusir Public Cemetery at 12:00 noon on 17 April 1993.[19]

• Satyalancana Peringatan Perjuangan Kemerdekaan RI (1961)
• Bintang Legiun Veteran Republik Indonesia (Star of the Veterans’ Legion of Indonesia) (1991)
• Bintang Jasa Utama (1st Class Star of Service) (1991)
• Bintang Mahaputra (Star of Mahaputera) (posthumously, 1998)[20]

The Government of North Sumatra has campaigned to make Nasution a National Hero of Indonesia.[21]

A street in Pekanbaru, the capital of Riau, is named after him.[22]

• Tuk Wan Haria, Muhammad (2006), Gubernur Sumatera dan Para Gubernur Sumatera Utara [The Governor of Sumatra and the Governors of North Sumatra] (in Indonesian), Medan: Library and Regional Archives Bureau of North Sumatra, ISBN 9789791521208
• Sudirman (2015), "Mr. Sutan Muhammad Amin" (PDF), HABA (in Indonesian), 77, retrieved 19 May 2020
• Information Bureau of North Sumatra (1953), Republik Indonesia: Propinsi Sumatera Utara (in Indonesian), Medan: Ministry of Information
• Sjamsuddin, Nazaruddin (1998), Revolusi di Serambi Mekkah: Perjuangan Kemerdekaan dan Pertarungan Politik di Aceh, 1945-1949 (in Indonesian), Jakarta: University of Indonesia
• Ministry of Information (1954), Kami Perkenalkan (in Indonesian), Jakarta