[1] During the Japanese occupation in World War II, Ibnu, like many indigenous Indonesians filling in for imprisoned Europeans, assumed many local administrative powers.

[3] Although the independence struggle was over by late 1949, the lucrative trade continued, and Ibnu benefited through his wife, Zaleha, who later succeeded in business in her own right.

He found common cause with the Japanese Indonesia hand Shigetada Nishijima, who began negotiations that year and signed a major agreement in 1960.

[5] Through 1962, Sutowo continued to eagerly support Sukarno's policy of self-reliance and nationalization, even though this was driving away major American, British, and Australian investors.

Shigetada Nishijima and the American oilman Langbourne Williams, having discussed with Sutowo beforehand, both quickly threw their support behind Suharto after the failure of the 30 September Movement.

[8] Bruce Rappaport, an oil tanker broker, was accused of price gouging, and corruption, in a World Bank investigation of Ibnu and Pertamina.

[8] Ibnu was placed under house arrest pending an investigation, before being "dismissed with honour", and in 1978 the attorney general announced he had been found "not involved" in criminal activity.