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| Kyai Haji Ajengan Ahmad Sanusi, A Traditional Kyai Figure from West Java, Indonesia (Special Document sukabumiNews) |
Released Again
Discussions regarding the fate of KHA Ahmad Sanusi
continued until Governor General B.C. de Jonge was replaced by A.W.L. Tjarda,
and Gobee, as Advisor to the Inland Zaken, was replaced by G.F. Pijper. Those
who wanted to extend his detention remained strong, especially after reports
emerged that the cleric had established ties with the Japanese.
However, it was later proven that the cleric's
relationship with the Japanese was primarily economic. The cleric's
relationship with the Japanese was solely related to trade. As the general
manager of All, he attempted to import cheap goods from Japan to fill the
cooperatives he managed. (54)
On October 11, 1938, Pijper sent a letter to the
Governor-General, stating, among other things, that he had agreed with the
Director of the Binnenlandse Zaken to end Haji Ahmad Sanusi's detention. He
believed that the current officials' fears about the extent of the kyai's
influence were excessive and unfounded. KHA Ahmad Sanusi would not use his
freedom to travel to various regions to expand his influence.
He did not need to engage in such activities. After
all, an intelligent and expert teacher is like a source of light. It radiates
naturally from his center where he resides. It is the students who come to him.
In turn, these students then spread the kyai's influence everywhere, as seen in
the development of All. (55)
Shortly after Pijper's letter, the Regent of Sukabumi,
Assistant Resident of Sukabumi E. Tacoma, Head of the Bogor and Banten PID H.
Steensma, and Bogor Resident C. van Rossen sent letters agreeing with Pijper's
opinion. The emergence of these letters was quite surprising, considering that
in previous months, many officials had refused to end the cleric's detention
period.
The path to freedom for KHA Ahmad Sanusi seemed to
become clearer when the Cianjur Police Chief reported that a signature
collection campaign had taken place in his area, urging the government to
release KHA Ahmad Sanusi. This report was then used as a consideration by the
Bogor Resident, who submitted a proposal to the Governor of West Java for KHA
Ahmad Sanusi's release. (56)
The Governor of West Java then forwarded it to the
Governor-General, noting that he agreed with the proposal. Pijper also
expressed his approval. Finally, on February 20, 1939, the Governor-General
issued a decree releasing KHA Ahmad Sanusi. (57)
When KHA Ahmad Sanusi received news of his release,
the prospect of world war, particularly the Greater East Asia War, was already
looming. Many, including himself, had already predicted the possibility of
Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies. His predictions were based on
information he had obtained from the Indonesian Institute of Indonesian
Soldiers (MIAI), from his followers active in political parties, and from
several Japanese Muslims in Batavia. (Continued to part 10)
Also Read Part (8) “Returning to Sukabumi”
Ibid
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