His mother took over responsibility of him, before dying 8 years later, resulting in him being raised by his older sister, Siti Hafsyah.

When he was 17 years old, he migrated to Jakarta and studied at the Ksatrian Instituut, which was led by Ernest Douwes Dekker, where he majored in journalism.

A year and a half later, he returned to Jakarta and worked at the Sin Po daily as a temporary worker.

After the Japanese invaded and occupied the Dutch East Indies, Burhanuddin worked at Radio Hosokyoku as an English broadcaster.

"The New Forces movement that I lead is a group of young people who are eager to do something, want to act, are restless in their dynamics and militancy to consciously determine the fate of their own nation and homeland.

[...] It needs to be formed to overcome the inertia of thinking and acting from the older people, even though they are considered to be more experienced in the political field,"Following the end of World War II, after the surrender of Japan, the Asia Raya newspaper was closed.

Later, Joesoef Isak, a Sukarnoist, had to be dismissed at the insistence of the New Order government, while Rosihan Anwar eventually founded his own newspaper the "Harian Pedoman."

After the draft was approved members of the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI) who were present, Sukarno asked Sayuti Melik to type it.

[4] "My instinct as a journalist took it to be announced in newspapers,"After Indonesia's independence, Burhanuddin continued his work in journalism.

In his old age, Burhanuddin founded a hotel in Jakarta, the Hyatt Aryaduta, in what was once the home of his wife's parents.

[6] Burhanuddin Mohammad Diah died at age 79, in the morning hours of 10 June 1996, in the capital city of Jakarta.

He died due to stroke and liver failure, which he had struggled with for some time prior, he also had a history of troubles with his lungs as well as possibly diabetes.

He secretly remarried with Julia bint Abdul Manaf, while serving as ambassador in Bangkok, Thailand.