Muhammad Saleh Arifin | |
---|---|
Mayor of Medan | |
In office 31 July 1975[a] – 31 March 1980 | |
Preceded by | Sjoerkani |
Succeeded by | Agus Salim Rangkuti |
Personal details | |
Born | Medan, Dutch East Indies | 23 November 1926
a. ^ Acting from 27 July 1974 | |
Muhammad Saleh Arifin (23 November 1926 – ?) was an Indonesian military officer and politician who served as the mayor of Medan between 1974 and 1980, and was also a member of the People's Consultative Assembly.
Arifin was born in Medan on 23 November 1926. He received seven years of education at a Taman Siswa school, and spent a year studying economics in Kayutanam, West Sumatra. After working at a bookstore in Medan and at a plantation in Binjai during the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, he joined the Indonesian Army during the Indonesian National Revolution.[1] Later on, he also completed junior and senior high schools in Medan, before enrolling at the infantry officer school in Bandung.[2]
He then remained stationed in North Sumatra until 1963 when he was reassigned to Kodam Siliwangi for a year. He was assigned to North Sumatra and became an assistant to the regional military commander at Kodam I/Bukit Barisan.[1]
He was then appointed to become the provincial party chairman for Golkar in North Sumatra. He would hold this office until 1973.[3] In 1971, he was appointed to become a member of the newly formed People's Consultative Assembly as an army delegate with the rank of colonel. (Until 2004, a bloc of seats in the Assembly was reserved for police and military officers.)[1] He later served as the mayor of Medan, initially as acting mayor starting on 27 July 1974 to replace Sjoerkani.[4] He was then appointed as full mayor on 31 July 1975,[2] with his full term ending on 31 March 1980.[5] During his tenure, a high-profile gambling area operated in Medan with a municipal permit, which Arifin explicitly defended against media criticism. According to Arifin, the gambling organizers agreed to pay a sum of Rp 15 million (~USD 36,000 at 1970s peg)[6] every month to the municipal government, and would only be open for three months. He further stated that the funds would be used to construct a new street.[7]
He is buried at the Bukit Barisan Heroes' Cemetery in Medan.[8]
Kol. Saleh Arifin Sabtu lalu dilantik menjadi Walikota Medan, menggantikan Drs. Syurkani