Australian Compatriot, Indonesian Confidant:
The Enigmatic Clive Williams, Volume Two, 1969-2001

“The President was furious, said Williams, threatening that ‘anyone who comes through the front door… will be shot’.” (Australian Embassy, Jakarta 1974)

When Soeharto became President of Indonesia in 1968, Australian Clive Williams was already an extremely close confidant of his inner political, business and social circles. Until now though, the name Clive Williams has been kept secret from the Australian public – he has not even been footnoted in diplomatic relations or history.

Clive Williams was not a conventional spy, or a diplomat, and to most outsiders he was President Soeharto’s ‘English teacher’. That moniker, though true – Williams did indeed provide Soeharto with his most important diplomatic weapon, the ability to converse in English – was a complete misnomer, as it downplayed his role and proximity to Soeharto.

For over three decades, Williams brokered business deals, political playoffs and diplomatic stalemates on behalf of the Indonesian President. Williams never sought to take advantage of his closeness to Soeharto for his own benefit. He never enriched himself. But he was a valuable asset for diplomats trying to understand the Indonesian President.

Clive Williams could read the President’s mood; he could tell when Soeharto was angry, and he could tell whether Soeharto had made a decision or was prevaricating. Williams deeply understood Soeharto’s thinking and disposition, and especially the nuances involved.

From the Australian Government’s point of view, contact with Clive Williams was the preserve of the Ambassador, and it secretly guarded their contact with him. For three decades, Williams advised successive Australian Governments about President Soeharto’s thinking on various issues of Australia’s vital national interest. Australia had a man on the inside!

What did Williams tell the Australian Government about Soeharto’s intentions towards Portuguese Timor in the lead up to the 1975 invasion? How involved was Williams in the corruption surrounding the Soeharto family and their cronies? How did Williams assist the Australian Government when diplomatic relations were strained?

When diplomatic relations were at its lowest ebb, or its most tenuous, Williams was the go-to man for Australia. The Australia-Indonesia relationship is something to behold through the lens of Clive Williams. And that is because no other Australian, in a non-diplomatic capacity, has ever been as influential or impactful on Australian foreign policy and international relations.

Dr Shannon Smith was a senior Australian diplomat and policy and communications advisor to the Australian Government for over a decade. He has a PhD in Indonesian politics and public policy from the Australian National University, and authored a range of publications on Indonesian history and politics, Australian diplomacy and Australia’s engagement with Asia.