In August 1963, a document was written and announced: the “Manifes Kebudayaan” or Cultural Manifesto. It immediately created a virulent controversy. Lekra and the other cultural and political organizations the government recognized at the time saw it as “counter revolutionary”. Subsequently, President Sukarno did too.

On 8 May 1964, the document—which was later derisively dubbed “Manikebu” (buffalo sperm)—was declared “banned�