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Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent
This chapter is in the book Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent
Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent: A Biographical Dictionary1246Wanandi, (Albertus) Sofjan(Liem Bian Khoen, , Lin Miankun, 1941– )Student leader, socio-political activist, tycoon, IndonesiaSofjan Wanandi, better known as Liem Bian Khoen to those of his generation, was an influential figure before and after the fall of Soekarno. He was a student leader in Jakarta who became a successful tycoon, known in Indonesian as konglomerat. Together with his elder brother, Jusuf Wanandi (Liem Bian Kie), he was also involved in the establishment of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).Liem Bian Khoen was born in Sawahlunto (West Sumatra) on 3 March 1941 into a petty trader family. His father, Lim Gim To, and mother, Kartina Tjoa Gim Jong Nio, were locally born ethnic Chinese. Liem Bian Khoen or Sofjan has seven siblings and is the third son in the family. He received his primary and junior high school education in Padang (1948–57) and moved to Jakarta in 1957 to attend senior high school at Kanisius, graduating in 1960. He studied at Pajajaran University in Bandung for a year (1960–61) and was then transferred to the Faculty of Economics, the University of Indonesia (FEUI), where he remained as a student until 1968 without, however, finishing his studies.Liem was active in the Catholic student movement and was an executive member in the Perhimpunan Mahasiswa Katholik Republik Indonesia (PMKRI). During the open struggle between the communist and anti-communist forces in Indonesia in 1965, Soekarno sided with the communists, while PMKRI joined hands with the anti-communist forces and the Indonesian army. After 30 September 1965 the anti-communists and anti-Soekarno student groups formed a united front known as KAMI. As an executive member of KAMI, Jakarta branch, Liem demanded the dissolution of the PKI (Partai Komunis Indonesia) and the stepping down of Soekarno. He and other university students demonstrated in the streets wearing yellow jackets to witness the end of Soekarno’s “Old Order” and the ushering in of Soeharto’s “New Order”. From February 1967 to October 1971 he represented student groups in the new Indonesian parliament (DPR) and Provisional People’s Consultative Assembly (MPRS). From 1967 to 1974 he served as assistant to Major General Soedjono Hoemardani who was personal assistant to President Soeharto for economic affairs.Liem had always wanted to be a businessman and his wish materialized when he was given the opportunity to manage various companies that were linked to the Indonesian military. From 1974 he was made vice-president of P.T. Dharma Kencana Sakti, which was established by the Kostrad (Army Strategic Reserve Command) Foundation. There were three companies under him: P.T. Garuda Mataram (car assembly), P.T. Mandala Airways, and P.T. Dharma Putera Film. He also went on to lead P.T. Tri Usaha Bakti which operated shipping, insurance, and construction businesses. In 1974 he established the P.T. W06 T-Z entries.indd 124610/9/12 12:59:31 PM
© 2019 ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute/Singapore

Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent: A Biographical Dictionary1246Wanandi, (Albertus) Sofjan(Liem Bian Khoen, , Lin Miankun, 1941– )Student leader, socio-political activist, tycoon, IndonesiaSofjan Wanandi, better known as Liem Bian Khoen to those of his generation, was an influential figure before and after the fall of Soekarno. He was a student leader in Jakarta who became a successful tycoon, known in Indonesian as konglomerat. Together with his elder brother, Jusuf Wanandi (Liem Bian Kie), he was also involved in the establishment of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).Liem Bian Khoen was born in Sawahlunto (West Sumatra) on 3 March 1941 into a petty trader family. His father, Lim Gim To, and mother, Kartina Tjoa Gim Jong Nio, were locally born ethnic Chinese. Liem Bian Khoen or Sofjan has seven siblings and is the third son in the family. He received his primary and junior high school education in Padang (1948–57) and moved to Jakarta in 1957 to attend senior high school at Kanisius, graduating in 1960. He studied at Pajajaran University in Bandung for a year (1960–61) and was then transferred to the Faculty of Economics, the University of Indonesia (FEUI), where he remained as a student until 1968 without, however, finishing his studies.Liem was active in the Catholic student movement and was an executive member in the Perhimpunan Mahasiswa Katholik Republik Indonesia (PMKRI). During the open struggle between the communist and anti-communist forces in Indonesia in 1965, Soekarno sided with the communists, while PMKRI joined hands with the anti-communist forces and the Indonesian army. After 30 September 1965 the anti-communists and anti-Soekarno student groups formed a united front known as KAMI. As an executive member of KAMI, Jakarta branch, Liem demanded the dissolution of the PKI (Partai Komunis Indonesia) and the stepping down of Soekarno. He and other university students demonstrated in the streets wearing yellow jackets to witness the end of Soekarno’s “Old Order” and the ushering in of Soeharto’s “New Order”. From February 1967 to October 1971 he represented student groups in the new Indonesian parliament (DPR) and Provisional People’s Consultative Assembly (MPRS). From 1967 to 1974 he served as assistant to Major General Soedjono Hoemardani who was personal assistant to President Soeharto for economic affairs.Liem had always wanted to be a businessman and his wish materialized when he was given the opportunity to manage various companies that were linked to the Indonesian military. From 1974 he was made vice-president of P.T. Dharma Kencana Sakti, which was established by the Kostrad (Army Strategic Reserve Command) Foundation. There were three companies under him: P.T. Garuda Mataram (car assembly), P.T. Mandala Airways, and P.T. Dharma Putera Film. He also went on to lead P.T. Tri Usaha Bakti which operated shipping, insurance, and construction businesses. In 1974 he established the P.T. W06 T-Z entries.indd 124610/9/12 12:59:31 PM
© 2019 ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute/Singapore

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Contents v
  3. List of Advisers vii
  4. Editorial Board ix
  5. List of Contributors xiii
  6. Foreword xxi
  7. Acknowledgements xxv
  8. Introduction to Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent: A Biographical Dictionary xxvii
  9. Dictionary User’s Guide xli
  10. List of Entries xliii
  11. Biographical Dictionary (A – Z)
  12. A 3
  13. B 28
  14. C 49
  15. D 218
  16. E 250
  17. F 259
  18. G 270
  19. H 310
  20. I 373
  21. J 378
  22. K 393
  23. L 480
  24. M 736
  25. N 754
  26. O 796
  27. P 861
  28. Q 909
  29. R 919
  30. S 931
  31. T 1040
  32. U 1227
  33. W 1246
  34. X 1302
  35. Y 1306
  36. Z 1389
  37. Addenda 1391
  38. Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent. A Biographical Dictionary 1398
Readers are also interested in:
https://doi.org/10.1355/9789814345224-030

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Contents v
  3. List of Advisers vii
  4. Editorial Board ix
  5. List of Contributors xiii
  6. Foreword xxi
  7. Acknowledgements xxv
  8. Introduction to Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent: A Biographical Dictionary xxvii
  9. Dictionary User’s Guide xli
  10. List of Entries xliii
  11. Biographical Dictionary (A – Z)
  12. A 3
  13. B 28
  14. C 49
  15. D 218
  16. E 250
  17. F 259
  18. G 270
  19. H 310
  20. I 373
  21. J 378
  22. K 393
  23. L 480
  24. M 736
  25. N 754
  26. O 796
  27. P 861
  28. Q 909
  29. R 919
  30. S 931
  31. T 1040
  32. U 1227
  33. W 1246
  34. X 1302
  35. Y 1306
  36. Z 1389
  37. Addenda 1391
  38. Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent. A Biographical Dictionary 1398
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