The Prime Minister, Sutan Sjahrir, was kidnapped by factions within the military opposing the Republic’s negotiations with the Dutch during the Indonesian National Revolution.
President Sukarno’s decision to commence negotiations with the Dutch was opposed by various Indonesian factions, which formed into the ‘’ Persatoean Perdjoangan’’ (“Union of Struggle”) group led by communist, Tan Malaka.
[1] Persatoean Perdjoangan’s opposition to negotiation with the Dutch received sympathy from many sections of the armed forces, including its commander Sudirman and Major-General Sudarsono.
The Prime Minister, Sutan Sjahrir who was leading the negotiations with the Dutch, was arrested the same night in Surakarta and taken to the Sultan's Palace with other figures.
The government was re-organised by Sjahrir to include Muhammad Natsir, Amir Sjarifuddin, the Sultan of Yogya, Agus Salim, and Djuanda, and the army’s Division III was restructured.