Mokhtaruddin was born in
Padang,
West Sumatera, in 1915. His given name was Mukhtar Sutan Indra Lasso. He had his early education in
MULO, Padang. After Silungkang uprising, he left West Sumatra and went to
Batavia joined with
Indonesian National Party. In 1937, he moved to
Singapore and Malaya. There he made a contact with
Tan Malaka. Influenced by Tan Malaka's concept, he established Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya and envisaged a socialist platform for the party. He was an
atheist, the earliest known in Malay history, and once debated about the existence of a god with his colleague and future
PAS president,
Burhanuddin al-Helmy. During the declaration day of PKMM policies, 30 November 1945, he revealed 8 resolutions which were considered influenced by the
Communist Party of Malaya by the British colonists. Furthermore, PKMM's anti-
UMNO and anti-
British movement and activities were worried by the British. Due to this, the British refused Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya's registration under the Malayan's establishment law. Later, Mokhtaruddin, along with few other anti-British leaders were imprisoned and presumably executed. ==References==