The South Sumatra-Singapore Cross-Border Trade and Political Networks 1941-1950, Progress Review Nanda Julian Utama

Progress Review Nanda Julian Utama.

This study examines the complex dynamics of relations between South Sumatra (Indonesia) and Singapore between 1941 and 1950. During this period, Indonesian historiography has largely been dominated by narratives of military struggle and has remained spatially centred on Java. Meanwhile, regions outside Java, particularly border areas, have often been considered marginal. Yet clandestine trade and political activities between these two regions were extensive and were frequently labelled as illegal. This study situates these developments within the concept of the frontier zone and a transnational historical framework, where state authority was fragmented and often weak. It argues that the term “illegal” remains debatable, as both the Indonesian and British Malayan governments demonstrated varying degrees of tolerance toward these activities. Moreover, such exchanges had a significant impact on efforts to sustain Indonesian independence. Drawing on multi-archival sources, this research provides a historiographical reassessment of the Indonesian Revolution beyond predominantly Java-centric and militaristic interpretations.

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