Soedardjat Nataatmadja

Soedardjat Nataatmadja (PSS: Sudarjat Nataatmaja, 30 June 19386 December 2020) was an Indonesian politician who served as the Regent of Bogor from 1983 until 1988, the Vice Governor of Irian Jaya from 1989 until 1993, Inspector General of the Ministry of Internal Affairs from 1993 until 1997, and as the member of the People's Representative Council from 1997 until 1999.

Soedardjat Nataatmadja was born on 30 June 1938 in Bandung, West Java, Dutch East Indies, as the son of Moerjani Nataatmadja and Ratu Soelasmi.

His father, Moerjani, was a Sundanese aristocrat who served as the Regent of Lebak, Regent of Bogor, and the Resident of Bogor, while his mother, Ratu Soelasmi was also an aristocrat.

Nataatmadja began his studies at the 8th People's School (equivalent to elementary school) in Cirebon in 1945 and graduated from the elementary school in 1951.

He then enrolled at the 2nd Junior High School in Bandung, graduated in 1955, enrolled at the 4th High School Section B in Bandung, and graduated in 1958.

Born into the Sundanese nobility, Soedardjat enrolled at the Padjadjaran University in 1958, though he dropped out two years later in favor of the National Military Academy.

Shortly after he graduated from high school, Nataatmadja enrolled at the Doctoral Faculty of the Padjadjaran University in 1958 but dropped out two years later due to his interest in joining the National Military Academy.

Since the 1960s, there was an increase in illegal construction and expansion on the Puncak in Bogor.

He began his service in the military in 1963 with the rank of first lieutenant.

From 1963 until 1983, he was assigned various military posts, starting from East Kalimantan, Jakarta, and West Java.

He graduated from the Academy in 1963 with the rank of first lieutenant.

After his graduation, Nataatmadja was deployed to East Kalimantan, at the Mulawarman Regional Military Command, where he became a combat engineer officer in the military command.

In response to this, the Sukarno administration enacted the Presidential Decree No. 13 of 1963, which handed over the authorization of construction in the area to the Ministry of Public Works.

In 1972, he was transferred back to Jakarta, where he became the head of the bureau in the Indonesian Army Headquarters until 1979.

In 1979, Nataatmadja was appointed as the Commander of the Sukabumi Military District.

Two years later, in 1981, he was transferred to Bogor, where he became the Chief of Staff of the Bogor Military Regiment.

Nataatmadja retired from the military several months after his resignation from the vice governor's office.

At the election for the Regent of Bogor, Nataatmadja won with 28 out of 40 votes cast.

In 1983, he was elected as the Regent of Bogor.

One of his hallmarks during his term as regent was Operation Government Dignity, which was aimed at countering the growth of illegal constructions and expansions.

He was inaugurated as the Regent of Bogor for the 1983–1988 term on 4 October 1983 by Governor of West Java Aang Kunaefi.

Following his inauguration, he was promoted from lieutenant colonel to colonel.

Twenty years later, in 1983, the Suharto administration amended the decree to conform with the situation at that time.

Although the amendment still gave the coordinating authority to the Ministry of Public Works, the gubernatorial and regency government were given more autonomy to implement decisions regarding the illegal construction.

In response to the amendment, which gave the regents authority to handle the illegal construction and expansion, Nataatmadja initiated the Operasi Wibawa Praja (Operation Government Dignity).

The main goal of the operation was to demolish illegal construction that had no building permits.

The demolition team, composed of military forces, police, civilian defense forces and municipal police, were equipped with bulldozers and other demolition tools.

The operation was first undertaken in January 1985.

The first building that was demolished under this operation was a villa complex, which was built over the ruins of a tea plantation.

The Tempo magazine remarked that the Wibawa Praja Operation was praised for its firmness and was continued by Nataatmadja successors.

In an interview, Nataatmadja stated that the operation was part of this effort to implement a "clean and capable government" in Bogor and as a "shock therapy to aware the people to be more careful".

Nataatmadja was an avid supporter of Sundanese culture.

Nataatmadja endorsed plans to hold a Sundanese language congress, which at that time was dormant, with the previous congress being held almost thirty years before.

The plans for the congress were proposed by Uu Rukman and Acil Bimbo, Sundanese humanists.

Nataatmadja offered his regency, Bogor, as the venue for the congress.

The congress was held on 20 January 1988 in the village of Cipayung.

Although he was elected to a second term, his re-election was not approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs, and he was transferred to Irian Jaya in 1989 and served as a Vice Governor for four years.

Nataatmadja returned to Jakarta in 1993, along with his appointment as the Inspector General of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

As the inspector general, he introduced several reforms concerning regional government inspection and led a team to investigate the Sri Roso Sudarmo scandal.

He ended his term in 1997 after he was elected as a member of the People's Representative Council.