Transition to the New Order

Transition to the New Order
1965–1968
As Major General, Suharto (at right, foreground) attends the funeral of assassinated generals on 5 October 1965.
Location	Indonesia
Leader(s)	Sukarno (until 12 March 1967 (1967-03-12)) Suharto (acting, from 12 March 1967 (1967-03-12))
Key events	1965: 30 September Movement 1965–1966: Indonesian mass killings 1966: KAMI mass demonstration 11 March 1966: Supersemar signed 1967–1968: Acting presidency of Suharto 27 March 1968: First inauguration of Suharto
Chronology Guided Democracy New Order

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Indonesia's transition to the New Order in the mid-1960s ousted the country's first president, Sukarno, after 22 years in the position. One of the most tumultuous periods in the country's modern history, it was the commencement of Suharto's 31-year presidency.

Described as the great dhalang ("puppet master" or "puppeteer"), Sukarno drew power from balancing the opposing and increasingly antagonistic forces of the Army and Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). By 1965, the PKI extensively penetrated all levels of government and gained influence at the expense of the army.^[1]

On 30 September 1965, six of the military's most senior officers were tortured and killed (generally labelled an "attempted coup") by the so-called 30 September Movement, a group of (allegedly) PKI members and/or sympathizers. Within a few hours, Major General Suharto mobilised forces under his command and took control of Jakarta. Anti-communists, initially following the army's lead, went on a violent purge of communists throughout the country, which killed an estimated half a million people and led to the banning and dissolution of the PKI, which was officially blamed for the attempted coup and crisis.^[2][3]

The politically weakened Sukarno was forced to transfer key political and military powers to General Suharto, who had become head of the armed forces. In March 1967, the Indonesian parliament (MPRS) named General Suharto acting president. He was formally appointed president one year later. Sukarno lived under virtual house arrest until his death in 1970.