His mother, Soeratni, died in January 1925 when Basuki was only four years old, ten days after giving birth to his brother.

With the Proclamation of Independence on 17 August 1945 by Nationalist leaders Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta, Basuki, like many other youths began to band into militias in preparation for the formation of an Indonesian Army.

Basuki returned to Indonesia in November 1959 and served as Assistant IV/Logistics to Army Chief of Staff Abdul Haris Nasution.

In September 1965, Basuki grew wary of communist activities in East Java and went to Jakarta to report his observations to the Commander of the Army, Ahmad Yani.

Yani complimented Basuki on the report and wanted him to accompany him to his meeting with the president the following morning to relay his story of Communist activities.

[5] The next morning on 1 October, Basuki was contacted by the Army Headquarters and notified of the kidnapping of the generals, including Yani, whom he had expected to be back in the palace as promised but ended up dead in his house.

As he was driving, Basuki noticed his troops from East Java, the 530th Infantry Battalion guarding the Presidential Palace and was even more surprised that they were not wearing any divisional patches nor rank insignia.

This was not an isolated incident as many anti-Communist general officers such as Umar Wirahadikusumah (then commander, Kodam V/Jaya) and Amir Machmud were also listed on this council.

Although it was Major General Pranoto Reksosamudra who would be appointed Commander of the Army to fill the by now vacant post, Basuki's name was briefly considered.

On 16 October 1965, a rally was held in Surabaya during which a United Action Command consisting of various political parties was formed.

The meeting had not been underway long before Sukarno, after receiving a note from the commander of his bodyguards, suddenly left the room.

Basuki and Jusuf were silent, but Amirmachmud suggested that Sukarno give Suharto some powers and govern Indonesia with him so that everything could be secured.

Sukarno then ordered that a letter be produced to clarify the contents of Supersemar but nothing ever came up apart from the copies that former Cuban Ambassador, AM Hanafi collected.

The handing of Supersemar gave Suharto de facto executive powers, and he soon began establishing a Cabinet more favorable to him.

Basuki served as Minister of Home Affairs, starting with Suharto's first Cabinet in March 1966 to the one which he named in June 1968 when he was officially the president.