Pramoedya Ananta Toer, in his book “Arok Dedes”, tells the story of Arok, who’s taking over the power of Tunggul Ametung in Tumapel and then overthrowing the strongest king in Java Sri Kertajaya, the King of Singasari. It is, Pramoedya believe, the first coup d’etat in the history of Indonesia. Arok destabilized the government and then took over of kingdom with the help of puritan religious groups in Java. Sounds familiar? Indeed, the story led many to recalling Indonesia’s tragic purge in 1965. And some also believe that the story is still a relevant warning given the state of politics today. The question is, who is this present day Arok?To subscribe please click here