Kemal Idris

{{Short description|Indonesian general}}

{{Infobox military person

| name = Kemal Idris

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1923|2|10|df=y}}

| birth_place = Singaraja, Bali, Dutch East Indies

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2010|7|28|1923|2|10|df=y}}

| death_place = Jakarta, Indonesia

| image = Kemal Idris New.jpg

| imagesize =

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| allegiance = {{flag|Indonesia}}

| serviceyears = 1942–1972

| rank = 25px Lieutenant General

| branch = 25px Indonesian Army

| unit = Infantry

| awards =

| battles = {{tree list}}

• Indonesian National Revolution
• March Offensive

{{tree list/end}}

| laterwork =

| portrayedby =

| enteredservice =

| currentlyresides =

| party =

| family =

| spouse = Ny. Herwinoer Bandriani Singgih

| children = 3

| residence =

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| occupation =

}}

Ahmed Kemal Idris (10 February 1923 – 28 July 2010) was a prominent Indonesian Army general during the 1950s and 1960s. He was an Indonesian guerrilla leader during the Indonesian National Revolution, who in 1949 was involved in continued resistance to the Dutch forces after they occupied Yogyakarta.

Poncke Princen, the Dutch soldier who went over to the guerrillas, served under Idris's command.

Idris participated in the 17 October 1952 affair in which a group of Indonesian Army officers staged a failed coup attempt that would have forced the dissolution of the People's Representative Council (DPR, the parliament) and put President Sukarno as the supreme leader of Indonesia. Due to his actions, Idris failed to receive any significant promotion within the Army for 13 years.

In 1965–1966, Idris was chief of staff of the Strategic Reserve Command (KOSTRAD) and had an important role in the overthrow of Sukarno and the rise of General Suharto to power.John Bresnan, "Managing Indonesia – The Modern Political Economy", Ch. 2., Columbia University Press, New York, 1993

Nevertheless, by 1980 Idris had a falling-out with Suharto. He was part of a group of senior Indonesian retired generals and politicians to signed a petition highlighting their concerns against Suharto's increasing authoritarian rule. This group was later known as the Petisi 50 group, highlighting the number of its signatories.

As a result of his involvement with Petisi 50, Idris and his colleagues were sidelined and isolated by the Suharto government. Nevertheless, he set up a waste collection company in Jakarta, earning him the nickname of jenderal sampah ("waste general").{{cite news|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/07/29/obituary-dissident-%E2%80%98waste-general%E2%80%99-kemal-idris-dies.html|title=Obituary: Dissident 'waste general' Kemal Idris dies|journal=The Jakarta Post|date=29 July 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100729173809/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/07/29/obituary-dissident-%E2%80%98waste-general%E2%80%99-kemal-idris-dies.html|archivedate=29 July 2010}}

Idris died in Jakarta on 28 July 2010, due to complications from pneumonia.{{cite news|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/07/28/former-army-general-govt-critic-kemal-idris-dies.html |title=Former Army general, govt critic Kemal Idris dies |journal=The Jakarta Post |date=28 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100730224116/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/07/28/former-army-general-govt-critic-kemal-idris-dies.html |archivedate=30 July 2010 }}