Sudharmono (EVO: Soedharmono; 12 March 1927 – 25 January 2006),[1] also known by his nickname, Pak Dar,[2] was an Indonesian Army officer and politician, who served as the fifth vice president of Indonesia from 1988 until 1993 under the New Order regime.

Previously, he served in several positions in the government and military, including as the Chairman of Golkar, State Secretary of Indonesia, and a lieutenant general in the army.

[10] Despite this, however, the military showed their displeasure at Sudharmono's election as vice president, as he represented the civil and bureaucratic wing of Golkar.

This culminated in March 1993, during the General Assembly of the MPR, where the army nominated Try Sutrisno as vice president without the consent of Suharto.

[6] In October 1965, following the 30 September Movement, Major General Suharto was appointed Army Commander and joined KOTI as the organizations Chief of Staff.

On 11 March 1966, when Suharto received the Emergency Powers from Sukarno, Sudharmono was the one who reproduced copies of the letter to be distributed to other military officers.

The next day, on 12 March 1966, Sudharmono was also the one to write the decree banning the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

[21] Sudharmono consolidated Golkar's position ahead of the 1987 Indonesian legislative election, focusing its efforts on securing a majority of the popular vote in the devoutly Islamic province of Aceh, which was the only province apart from Jakarta where Golkar had failed to do so in 1982.

[22] Golkar made use of two civil servants to run its financial campaign in Aceh, while also using Aceh governor Ibrahim Hasan, an economist who managed to unite the traditional and modern aspirations of the Acehnese people, to their advantage, by making him travel all around the province telling people that a Golkar victory would bring about material development without sacrificing traditional values.

Golkar also achieved its aim in Aceh, and for the first time won an absolute majority of the vote in Jakarta and every other province of Indonesia.

[24] As the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) convened for its 1988 General Session, it was widely believed by many that the aging Suharto would be elected to his fifth and last term as president.

[28] Rumors that Sudharmono was a communist were spread by ABRI, accusing him of being a member of Pesindo (Pemuda Sosialis Indonesia), a youth socialist organization.

[29][30][31] At the General Session itself, which lasted from 1–11 March 1988, controversy continued to dog Sudharmono's nomination as vice president.

First, Brigadier General Ibrahim Saleh interrupted the session and launched a scathing attack against Sudharmono before he was taken down from the podium by other MPR members.

[32] Then, Sarwo Edhie Wibowo, a general who had helped Suharto get to power in the mid-1960s resigned from both his MPR and People's Representative Council (DPR) seat in protest.

Finally, United Development Party Chairman, Jailani Naro nominated himself as vice president, presumably with the private backing of ABRI, who in public supported Sudharmono's nomination; ABRI's support was likely only in opposition to Sudharmono.

[10] He issued a policy to form Tromol Pos 5000 as a means of monitoring the community and he began to consolidate politics by visiting the provinces, departments (ministries), State Offices, and other institutions.

[34] The election of Wahono as chairman was the first time in which ABRI demonstrated their political power against Suharto, and resulted in the comeback of ABRI into the Golkar political machine, as the civil and bureaucratic wing of the party (the main supporters of Sudharmono) floundered.

It has been speculated that, if Try Sutrisno hadn't been nominated, then Suharto would've chosen either Sudharmono or B. J. Habibie as vice president.

In 1997, Sudharmono released his autobiography, Pengalaman Dalam Masa Pengabdian ("Experiences During Time of Service").

Due to the close release of his books and the 1998 MPR General session, there were rumors of him planning a political comeback.

[12] During the years after the fall of Suharto, he was trusted to coordinate the seven foundations established by the Cendana family, namely Dharmais, Supersemar, Dakap, Damandiri, Amal Bhakti Muslim Pancasila, Gotong Royong, and Trikora.

[41] However, the selection of Sudharmono as vice president caused a rift in Golkar, between the civil and military factions.

[42] Emma Norma outlived Sudharmono by 6 years, dying in 2012, at Pertamina Central Hospital, Jakarta.