Major General Marah Halim Harahap (28 February 1921 – 3 December 2015) was an Indonesian general, politician, and governor. He was the Governor of North Sumatra from 1967 until 1978. Under his leadership, North Sumatra recovered from the 30 September Movement and organized an association football tournament named for him which was internationally recognized by FIFA.
Harahap was born on 28 February 1921 in Tabusira. He was the fourth of the six children of Jabbar Harahap, a common farmer in Tabusira.
In Tabusira, there was only one elementary school in the village, which was built by the villagers. Even though elementary schools at that time had six grades, the elementary school in the village had only three grades. Harahap enrolled in the school and graduated from there in 1939.
He wished to study at the Meer Uitgebreid Lager Onderwijs, but because lack of means by his parents, Harahap opted to search for a job in Medan, the capital of Sumatra at the time. He followed his older brother, Sjamsoedin, who was already in Medan.
Due to transportation problems, Harahap only reached the city of Pematangsiantar. He was employed as a worker at a plantation in Pematangsiantar. At first, he applied to be a clerk at the plantation, but his employer rejected his application due to Harahap's lack of education.
After several months working on the plantation, he moved on to Medan. In Medan, he lived with Sjamsoedin and planned to enlist in the Japanese military, which at that time had occupied Medan.
Shortly after the Indonesian independence, Harahap joined the Barisan Pemuda paramilitary organization. The organization would later fuse into the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and during the First Dutch Military Aggression, Harahap was appointed as a lieutenant.
After the sovereignty recognition of Indonesia in 1949, Harahap was assigned to the military headquarters in Medan and became a staff officer in the headquarters. He became a captain sometime between 1951 and 1953.
During Abdul Hakim's term as the Governor of North Sumatra, Harahap was the only military personnel able to enter and leave at any time in the Governor's house. Abdul Hakim maintained a close relationship with Harahap, and in 1952, Harahap was appointed as a military judge in Kuta Raja, Aceh.
From 1945 until 1966, Harahap was assigned to different positions in the military:
1945–1950 : Company Commander in Selat Panjang, Battalion commander in Bengkalis, Battalion Commander in Rengat, Commander of the Mobile Troops IV Riau in Rengat
1950–1952 : Battalion Commander/Field Commander in Pekanbaru and Battalion Commander in Tanjung Uban
1952–1954 : Chief of Staff of the Regiment in Banda Aceh, Regiment Commander for the Aceh Sub-Territory, Chief of Staff of the Bukit Barisan Regional Command
1959–1965 : Military attaché of Indonesia for Pakistan and Iran, Assistant IV for the Inter-Regional Command Chief of Staff of Sumatra
1965–1966 : Army Inspector General III for Sumatra
Harahap was nominated as the Governor of North Sumatra by the Golkar fraction in the North Sumatra Regional People's Representative Council. Outside the fraction, the Indonesian Christian Partynominated Pandita Roos Telaumbanua, the previous acting governor of North Sumatra, and the Indonesian National Party nominated Tumpal Dorianus Pardede, a former minister in the Revised Dwikora Cabinet.
At the election held by the North Sumatra Regional People's Representative Council on 6 February 1967, the Indonesian National Party withdrew Tumpal Dorianus Pardede from the election. Harahap won the election by 24 votes, as opposed to Telaumbanua who obtained 14 votes. Harahap was inaugurated on 30 March 1967, by Soenandar Prijosoedarmo, representing the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The inauguration was attended by the previous governor, Telaumbanua.
After his first five-year term expired, Harahap was appointed temporarily as an acting governor for North Sumatra until a new governor was elected by the council. The council unanimously elected Marah Halim Harahap as the governor of North Sumatra for his second term on 6 November 1972. He was installed by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Amirmachmud, on 4 December 1972.