He was born in Padang (May 13, 1903), and died in Jakarta (May 24, 1979)



He graduated from the Hogere Kweek School teacher’s college in Bandung (1924) and became a teacher at Perguruan Islam Adabiah II in Padang. When he lived in the Netherlands from 1928-1947, he was a member of the Lower Council (Tweede Kamer), representing the Dutch Communist Party for 14 years. His works include Bebasari (1926), Percikan Permenungan (1926), and Van Moskow naar Tiflis.