KARIER DIPLOMATIK DAN POLITIK T.M. HADI THAYEB, 1945-1990AN

Nasywa Naurah Alawal, Dr. Yulianti, B.A., M.A.

2026 | Skripsi | ILMU SEJARAH

Penelitian ini mengkaji karier diplomatik dan politik T.M. Hadi Thayeb dari 1945–1990an, dengan fokus pada kemampuannya mempertahankan karier di bawah dua rezim yang berbeda secara fundamental, yaitu era Sukarno dan era Suharto. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan biografis dengan metode sejarah yang meliputi pemilihan topik, heuristik, kritik sumber, dan historiografi. Sumber penelitian diperoleh melalui studi arsip di Arsip Nasional Republik Indonesia, wawancara dengan keluarga, dan studi pustaka.

 

Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa keberlangsungan karier Hadi Thayeb tidak semata-mata ditentukan oleh latar belakang keluarga, kompetensi, dan jaringan, tetapi terutama oleh pragmatismenya dalam merespons perubahan politik. Pada era Sukarno, ia membangun reputasi melalui karier diplomatik hingga dipercaya menjadi menteri. Ketika terjadi perubahan rezim, ia secara proaktif menyesuaikan diri dengan tatanan Orde Baru melalui Lemhannas dan berbagai penugasan strategis. Pengangkatannya sebagai Gubernur Aceh menunjukkan bahwa identitas keacehannya dimanfaatkan pemerintah pusat sebagai modal simbolik untuk menjalankan agenda Orde Baru, sehingga ia lebih berperan sebagai representasi kepentingan pusat daripada penyampai aspirasi politik Aceh. Keterlibatannya dalam bidang diplomasi tetap berlanjut setelah purnatugas hingga 1990an. Dengan demikian, pragmatisme dalam membaca perubahan kekuasaan, disertai kemampuan mempertahankan kompetensi dan reputasi profesional, menjadi faktor utama yang memungkinkan Hadi Thayeb bertahan dan tetap relevan di bawah dua rezim. 

This study examines the diplomatic and political career of T.M. Hadi Thayeb from 1945–1990s, focusing on his ability to sustain his career under two fundamentally different regimes: the Sukarno era and the Suharto era. This study employs a biographical approach using historical methods, including topic selection, heuristics, source criticism, and historiography. Research sources were obtained through archival research at the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia, interviews with family members, and a literature review.

 

The research findings indicate that Hadi Thayeb’s career trajectory was not determined solely by his family background, competencies, and networks, but primarily by his pragmatism in responding to political changes. During the Sukarno era, he built a reputation through his diplomatic career, eventually earning the trust to serve as a minister. When the regime changed, he proactively adapted to the New Order system through the National Defense and Security Agency (Lemhannas) and various strategic assignments. His appointment as Governor of Aceh demonstrated that the central government leveraged his Acehnese identity as symbolic capital to advance the New Order’s agenda, causing him to function more as a representative of central government interests than as a voice for Aceh’s political aspirations. His involvement in diplomacy continued after his retirement into the 1990s. Thus, pragmatism in interpreting shifts in power, coupled with the ability to maintain professional competence and reputation, were the key factors that enabled Hadi Thayeb to endure and remain relevant under two regimes.

Kata Kunci : T.M. Hadi Thayeb, Biografi, Diplomasi, Politik, Era Sukarno, Orde Baru