Abdul Muis

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Abdul Muis, date unknown

Abdul Muis (3 July 1883–17 June 1959) was an Indonesian writer, journalist and nationalist. He argued tirelessly for Indonesia's independence from the Netherlands.

Born on the Sungai Puar in West Sumatra, Muis studied medicine in Jakarta for three years before being forced to pull out due to illness. Muis first found employment in the civil service. He later switched to journalism, becoming known for his inflammatory articles, which were highly critical of Dutch involvement in Indonesia. He published a book, Salah Asuhan ("Wrong Upbringing"), in 1928.

Hoping to take a more practical rôle in the political struggle, Muis joined the nationalist movement Sarekat Islam ("Islamic Union"). He became an active member of the organisation, and was promoted to its executive board. He argued that, if peaceful measures proved insufficient in securing Indonesian independence, the Union should be prepared to use violence against the Dutch administration.

Attempting to appease the Union, the Dutch administration appointed Muis to the newly-created Volksraad ("People's Council"). As a member of the Council, Muis was theoretically empowered to advise the government; however, the Volksraad was rarely heeded and widely seen as powerless, and Muis continued to fight through other means.

Muis ran afoul of the Dutch administration many times. Already arrested once, he led a protest strike in Yogyakarta in 1922, and was consequently arrested and confined to the city of Garut, in West Java. He remained in West Java, and died in 1959 and was buried in Bandung.

Muis is today seen as an important freedom fighter in Indonesia's history. In many cities he has a street or "Jalan" (road) named after him.