Under his leadership, North Sumatra recovered from the 30 September Movement and organized an association football tournament with his name which was internationally recognized by FIFA.

[1] He wished to study at the Meer Uitgebreid Lager Onderwijs, but because lack of funding by his parents, Harahap opted to search for a job in Medan, the capital of Sumatra at the time.

The organization would later fuse into the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and during the First Dutch Military Aggression, Harahap was appointed as a lieutenant.

Outside the fraction, the Indonesian Christian Partynominated Pandita Roos Telaumbanua, the previous acting governor of North Sumatra, and the Indonesian National Party nominated Tumpal Dorianus Pardede, a former minister in the Revised Dwikora Cabinet.

[8] Harahap was inaugurated on 30 March 1967, by Soenandar Prijosoedarmo, representing the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

[10] The council unanimously elected Marah Halim Harahap as the governor of North Sumatra for his second term on 6 November 1972.

[15] During his leadership, Harahap envisioned an international grade association football tournament held in North Sumatra.

Thus, Panggabean advised Harahap that the future tournaments should be named as Marah Halim Cup.

Harahap then instructed Tumpal Dorianus Pardede to build international-class hotels in Medan and Parapat for the accommodation of players in the Marah Halim Cup.

International teams from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, and Hongkong, began participating in the second tournament held in 1973.

Mayor Wahab Abdi seated the position as the head of the Office for Social and Political Affairs.