Programs and works (1950–1957)

During his tenure as the Minister of Agriculture, Sadjarwo actively participated in international conferences regarding agricultural affairs. He attended the 1950, 1952, 1953, and 1957 Rubber Study Group Conference as the leader of the Indonesian delegates.^{[8][9][10][11]}

In 1952, when he was not re-appointed as Minister of Agriculture, he was appointed by the Minister of Agriculture at that time, Mohammad Sardjan, as a member of a committee to research and implement Food and Agriculture Organization decisions regarding the agricultural problems in Indonesia.^[12]

As the Minister of Agriculture, Sadjarwo targeted the year 1954 as the beginning of Indonesia's self-sufficiency in rice production. He stated that rice imports only serve to build inventory and stabilize domestic prices. He highlighted this plan during a visit to Kalimantan, where he also recommended that a fishery cooperative should be established, fishing ships should be motorized, and timber quality in Kalimantan should be improved.^[13]

State Minister for Transmigration Affairs

During the formation of the Second Ali Sastroamidjojo Cabinet, there were calls from President Sukarno and the Central All-Indonesian Workers Organization^[14] to place a leftist minister in the cabinet, to take the position of the State Minister for Transmigration Affairs. Even though Sadjarwo was nominally independent, he was the vice chairman of the BTI^{[clarification needed]}, which influenced Sukarno to nominate him as a possible leftist minister.^[15] This nomination caused the media to label Sadjarwo as a cryptocommunist.^[16]

Sadjarwo's nomination was strongly opposed by the Masyumi Party, which threatened to withhold its support to the cabinet. The threat caused Sadjarwo's rejection as a minister in the Second Ali Sastroamidjojo Cabinet.^[15]

Opening of the Academy of the Ministry of Agriculture

During his term as the Minister of Agriculture in the Djuanda Cabinet, Sadjarwo officially opened the Academy of the Ministry of Agriculture. The academy was located in Ciawi and was the result of the merger of the Biology Academy, Agricultural Research Academy Course, and the Marine Biology Fisheries Course. Sadjarwo stated that the academy was intended to fill the shortage of skilled employees at the Ministry of Agriculture.^[17]

Nationalization of Dutch plantations and farms

By the end of 1957, Dutch-Indonesian relations began to deteriorate due to the conflicts regarding Netherlands New Guinea. During this time, Sadjarwo issued a decree to temporarily confiscate 248 Dutch plantations and farm companies in Indonesia. He stated that the confiscation would end if the Dutch recognized Indonesia's authority over the Netherlands New Guinea.^[18] As the Dutch never fulfilled this demand, on 13 February 1959, Sadjarwo announced that the government had permanently confiscated all 248 Dutch companies in Indonesia and would later determine which companies would be nationalized.^[19]

Joining the Indonesian National Party

As the Peasants Front of Indonesia became closely affiliated with the Communist Party of Indonesia, Sadjarwo left the Peasants Front in 1956^[20] and became a member of the Indonesian National Party in 1957/1958.^{[lower-alpha 2]} Sadjarwo was appointed as the second vice chairman of the Indonesian National Farmers' Association, the farming organization of the Indonesian National Party.^[21]

Even though Sadjarwo left the Peasants Front of Indonesia in 1956, official reports still stated his affiliation to the organization in the Djuanda Cabinet, which was formed in 1957.^[22]

Basic Agrarian Law

Sadjarwo's involvement in the Basic Agrarian Law began before he was appointed a minister. Since 1948, he has been involved in the Yogyakarta Agrarian Committee as a member. This committee was created to establish agrarian law in Indonesia but failed to fulfill its task.^[23] In 1951, Sadjarwo was appointed as the vice chairman of a new committee, the Jakarta Agrarian Committee, headed by Sarimin Reksodihardjo. The committee, having not fulfilled its mission, was dissolved several years later.^[24]

The next committee, the Soewahjo Committee, formed on 14 January 1956, managed to create a draft of the Basic Agrarian Law in 1957. The draft was submitted to the People's Representative Council on 24 April 1958 by the Minister of Agrarian Affairs at that time, Soenarjo. The draft was rejected by the council due to "political affairs", and President Sukarno advised that the Ministry should revise the draft with recommendations from experts.^[25] The revision for the draft was completed during Sadjarwo's term, and on 1 August 1960, the draft was submitted again to the council by Sadjarwo. Less than two months later, on 24 September 1960, the council approved the draft, which was enacted as Law No. 5 of 1960, the Basic Law for Agrarian Affairs.^[26] The date of enactment of the law is celebrated today in Indonesia as National Agrarian Day and National Farmers' Day.^[27][28]

Land reform

In his accountability speech in the People's Representative Council regarding the Basic Agrarian Law, Sadjarwo stated that the concept of land reform would be implemented as soon as possible, after the enactment of the Basic Agrarian Law.^[29] He pointed out that land reform would evenly distribute lands to the people; avoid speculations and extortion; reinforce the people's rights to land ownership; end the system of landlords and abolish the ownership and control of land on a large scale; increase national farm production; and push for an intensive farming with cooperation.^[30]

Sadjarwo's Ministry of Agrarian Affairs was so committed to working on land reform that by 1962, the ministry had produced thirteen different land products^{[clarification needed]} relating to law reforms. These new guidelines had a major impact on land reform. For example, in Klaten, Central Java, as noted by Soegijanto Padmo, a researcher on agrarian affairs, the regent of Klaten had already established a land reform committee and had enacted several decisions regarding land reform at the village level.^[31]

Although this program went well in several areas, Idham Chalid, the leader of Nahdlatul Ulama, stated that it caused conflicts between groups in the villages; even waqf lands also became a source of conflict. Chalid advised the government to investigate this problem. The leader of the Communist Party of Indonesia, D. N. Aidit, stated that the land reform in Java, Madura, and Bali must be done by the year 1963, and if not, the landlords must be arrested. These continued conflicts eventually thwarted land reform efforts, and the issue was not raised by the New Order government until recently.^[32]

Accusations of being a communist

During his time as the rector of the Untag, Sadjarwo was accused of being a communist by Soegiarso Soerojo, the author of the book Siapa Menabur Angin Akan Menuai Badai ("Those Who Sow the Wind Will Reap the Storm"). He was identified as the former leader of the Peasants Front of Indonesia. Ruben Nalenan, a lecturer from Untag, also pointed out several books that alleged Sadjarwo was formerly endorsed by the Communist Party of Indonesia as a minister during the first Ali Sastroamidjojo Cabinet. Nalenan reported this case to the Kopertis (coordinating institution for private universities), the Minister of Education and Culture, and also the Director General of Higher Education. This report was leaked to the press and was first published by the Jayakarta newspaper, owned by the military.^[39]

Sadjarwo refuted the accusations, and pointed out that during his time with the Peasants Front of Indonesia, the organization was not affiliated with any party. He had left the Peasants Front of Indonesia, he claimed, after he felt that the organization was becoming more and more leftist. He also pointed out that, in 1964, he condemned the actions of the Communist Party of Indonesia and in return, the Communist Party of Indonesia demanded that he be removed from his position as minister.^[39]

Even though Soerojo admitted his mistakes and revised the book in the third edition,^[34][20] Nalenan refused to admit the fact that Sadjarwo was not a communist. Nalenan stated that the Peasants Front of Indonesia was involved in the Madiun Affair, and in September 1953, the organization officially merged with the Indonesian Peasants' Union. Due to this ongoing accusation by Nalenan, Sadjarwo, along with one of his children, announced plans to sue Nalenan in court.^[39]

The military intervened, and on 1 February 1988, Sadjarwo was summoned by the regional military office, the Military District Commando 501 located in Central Jakarta.^[34] Three days later, the Staff Intelligence Officer of the district commando, Captain Basiroen S., went to Sadjarwo's university, the Untag. Basiroen stated that "There was no unrest in the university and the lectures went as usual. The problem is solved, Sadjarwo has clarified in the newspaper and everything is clear".^[39]