Bidar Alam

Bidar Alam is a nagari (village) in Sangir Jujuan, South Solok Regency, in the Indonesian province of West Sumatra, with a population of over 3,000 people. It is known for being the seat of the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia for a brief period in 1949.

Bidar Alam
Nagari
Bidar Alam is located in Sumatra
Bidar Alam
Bidar Alam
Location of Bidar Alam in Sumatra
Bidar Alam is located in Indonesia
Bidar Alam
Bidar Alam
Bidar Alam (Indonesia)
Coordinates: 1°24′55″S 101°21′28″E
Country Indonesia
ProvinceWest Sumatra
RegencySouth Solok Regency
DistrictSangir Jujuan
Area
[1]
 • Total52.36 km2 (20.22 sq mi)
Population
 (2019)[1]
 • Total3,339
 • Density64/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+7 (Western Indonesia Time)

Geography

Bidar Alam is located around 21 km (13 mi) away from the regency seat at Padang Aro.[1] It is one of the five nagari in Sangir Jujuan, and is further subdivided into seven Jorong (neighborhoods).[1] Located within the Barisan Mountains, the Batang Sangir River flows through the village.[2]

Demographics

Bidar Alam has a population of 3,339 in 2019 according to Statistics Indonesia, making up 799 households.[1]

History
Rumah Jama, the PDRI headquarters in Bidar Alam

In late 1948 and early 1949, the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PDRI) moved inland to evade Dutch pursuit, initially from the city of Bukittinggi, then to Payakumbuh, before leaving urban settlements. By 9 January 1949, one of the groups, led by PDRI head Sjafruddin Prawiranegara, had reached Bidar Alam and shelved plans to advance further towards Pekanbaru due to Dutch advances.[3] The local population was generally supportive of the PDRI and provided accommodation and food to the government officials. Supported by Indonesian Air Force personnel, PDRI established a mobile radio station at the town to communicate with the outside world.[4] One villager's house (today known as Jama's House) was used by Sjafruddin, and doubled as the printing location for PDRI's currency.[5]

The relative safety at the village allowed PDRI to communicate with guerrilla fighters in Java and consolidate a provisional government. PDRI remained at Bidar Alam until late April 1949, when they moved once more following the news of negotiations between the Dutch and Indonesians.[6] Compared to the other towns and villages which the PDRI had been based from, Bidar Alam hosted it the longest, for three and a half months.[4] A small monument in the village commemorates PDRI's presence there.[7]

Economy

Rice, coffee and rubber are cultivated in the village.[2] It is accessible by road to the rest of the district and regency, and hosts the sole puskesmas in Sangir Jujuan.[1]

References
  1. "Kecamatan Sangir Jujuan dalam Angka". Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Solok Selatan (in Indonesian). Statistics Indonesia. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  2. Irawan, Bimbi (14 July 2019). Penataan administrasi pemerintahan dan struktur sosial adat di Kabupaten Solok Selatan (in Indonesian). Rancak Publik. pp. 112–113. ISBN 978-623-91875-0-7.
  3. Peran TNI-AU pada masa pemerintah darurat Republik Indonesia tahun 1948–1949 (in Indonesian). Subdisjarah. 2001.
  4. "Jejak Pemerintah Darurat RI di Bidar Alam". Okezone (in Indonesian). 7 January 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  5. "Rumah Jama Saksi Perjuangan PDRI di Solok Selatan". TVRI News (in Indonesian). 9 August 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  6. "Dari Bidar Alam ke Sumpur Kudus, Hijrah Jalan Kaki Ketua PDRI". Langgam.id (in Indonesian). 23 April 2019. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  7. "Menyaksikan Nagari Bidar Alam Solok Selatan yang Pernah Menjadi Pusat Pemerintahan RI". barisan.co (in Indonesian). 21 March 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
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