Human and Indonesia, That’s His Concern

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

The mourners read the Kompas Daily featuring the figure of the founder of Kompas Gramedia as well as the general leader of the Kompas Daily, Jakob Oetama on the sidelines of a queue to pay their final respects at the Kompas Gramedia Building, South Palmerah, Jakarta, on Thursday (10/9/2020).

"Partir c\'est mourir un peu ... Mais mourir ... c\'est une grande perte" (Going is a small death ... But dying is one big loss)

(The first half of the quote is often uttered by Jakob Oetama who liked Latin and French expressions.)

Gone are the two founders and pioneers of Kompas daily and Kompas Gramedia, Petrus Kanisius (PK) Ojong and Jakob Oetama. Pak Jakob passed away when the country he loved with all his heart was struggling against the coronavirus outbreak.

We, the people of Palmerah, and of other cities where Kompas Gramedia (KG) runs business, bowed down with feelings of loss. Amid our mourning, we can imagine the figure of Pak Jakob who, more than a chief executive, is also a father.

Also read: The Legacy of Jakob Oetama

With his characteristic, we see Pak Jakob -- we all also call him Pak JO -- more as a teacher and a master in the fields of communication and journalism, and a scholar in thought, especially in humanities, social, cultural and political fields.

After Pak Ojong died, Pak JO was naturally identical with Kompas. Pak JO is Kompas and Kompas is Pak JO. His presence is very felt. If this obituary takes the title "Human and Indonesia, That’s His Concern", indeed it’s those two things that can describe the par excellence journalist who has just left us.

When actively attended editorial meetings and leadership meetings, Pak

JO often threw some ideas, which inspire the thought and expand the horizon of the cantrik (student/follower) -- that\'s how we often describe ourselves while working at "Pedepokan Palmerah".

Sometimes the topic was high ideological realm, such as the "Third Way" that was introduced by Anthony Giddens. Even after the Cold War ended in 1989 with the collapse of the symbols of communism and the idea of Francis Fukuyama was popular (in The End of History, 1992), Pak JO asked, "Is it true that free market capitalism is a perfect ideology and is able to solve world problems? Why, are there still many poverties in a prosperous capitalist country? Is liberal democracy suitable for all nations? How in Indonesia, which practices musyawarah untuk mufakat [consensus]? There should be a Third Way, as promoted by Giddens."

Aside from Giddens, in the 1980s, Pak JO liked to invite journalists to discuss the future. Futurologist Alvin Toffler, who at that time was a hit with his book Third Wave and his previous famous work, Future Shock, came to Indonesia in early September 1988, and Pak JO enthusiastically asked what kind of future that Toffler foresaw.

KOMPAS/JOHNNY TG

Sri Mulyani Indrawati, a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics, University of Indonesia, has a conversation with the General Leader of Kompas daily, Jakob Oetama, during a Limited Discussion in Jakarta organized by Kompas daily in collaboration with Paramadina Mulya University, on Tuesday (16/6/1988).

It seemed there was a feeling of anxiety in JO as he became more and more stuffy living a life under an authoritarian regime. It seemed that he wanted to see what trends could be explored to refresh the life of the society and the state.

When at that time the much-awaited change seemed to have never materialized, and the thoughts of Toffler and such were too technical, Pak JO once turned to "Ramalan Langit" (The Celestine Prophecy) by James Redfield, which is a new-age genre. "Ah, I just enjoy reading," said Pak JO at one point in the first half of the 1990s.

Also read: Goodbye, Pak Jakob

Pak JO\'s exploration for ideas ended in the book “Culture Matters -- How Values Shape Human Progress” (edited by Lawrence E Harrison and Samuel P Huntington, 2000). Pak Jakob has been aggressively disseminating the important messages of this idea, including the important role of education, discipline and frugality for the progress of a nation. The apparent difference in progress between the two countries -- Ghana and South Korea -- seems to have fascinated Pak Jakob.

After that, we seldom heard Pak JO discussing new concepts. However, he encouraged journalists to explore China\'s phenomenal progress, along with the circulation of Kishore Mahbubani\'s work, “The New Asian Hemisphere - The Irresistible Shift of Global Power to the East” (2008).

Pak JO grew up to be a charismatic figure because he had a very high literacy tradition, making him an individual who was fond of ideas, and had an instinctive sensitivity to political problems, without the slightest temptation to engage in practical politics.

In fact, with the success of developing Kompas, which he founded, he has already accomplished the goal of public education because mass media is also an educational institution on a large scale.

The journalist profession, which he followed at the suggestion of Pastor JW Oudejans OFM, who in the 1950s became the chief executive of Penabur Magazine, did not lose his instinct to continue being a teacher, the profession he originally wanted. In fact, with the success of developing Kompas, which he founded, he has already accomplished the goal of public education because mass media is also an educational institution on a large scale. Meanwhile, he realized his vision of education by establishing Multimedia Nusantara University.

His footing is still human

His fond of big ideas on global scale above is actually not just an intellectual inclination of JO as a person, but it is actually part of his search for solutions to the problems faced by his nation. As a journalist and a media leader, his main task is to present fresh ideas to inspire the public.

In Palmerah environment, the “Indonesia Mini” jargon is fully understood by employees, who come from various ethnicities, religions, and other backgrounds. This concept is also what Pak JO dreamed of being able to flourish in other institutions and communities and eventually leads to the birth of Indonesia, where every child of the nation can transcend or think beyond their primordial identity. Quoting his conversation with a general, Pak JO is convinced that his identity, his dreams and the goals of his dedication are first, for Indonesia; second, for Indonesia and third, for Indonesia.

Pak JO even had envisioned Indonesia to become what the current government is dreaming of, by saying: we call it “Tanah Air” (homeland). We have developed the land, but what about our water (maritime)?

Even though he has an inclination towards economic development, as designed by Prof. Widjojo Nitisastro, Pak JO is open to the use of technology encouraged by the late Prof. BJ Habibie to build an advanced Indonesia, because Kompas is an institution open to exchange of ideas.

The reason for all of Pak JO\'s struggles is none other than human beings -- their welfare and safety. If in the 1980s Pak JO often asked his journalists to write about the nuclear arms race, it was also because of his great concern about the threat of nuclear war for mankind. Likewise, when Pak JO repeatedly asked for the coverage on climate change, it was also because he was aware of how much the fate of mankind would suffer due to climate change.

From a global scale, Pak JO also thinks about the people around Palmerah. In his opinion, KG needs to give them a job. When he heard that the recruitment was based on test results, Pak JO interned, saying that KG was not in a vacuum space. Close neighbors must be given a quota (of employment) even if the test results do not meet the standard.

This small example is part of his commitment and empathy to realize the message and saying which he believed in, namely, "Comforting the poor, reminding the established," a slogan he adopted from American humorist and writer Finley Peter Dunne, "Comfort the afflicted, afflict the comfortable”. The spirit of embracing is what has become known as the spirit of ngewongke (literally \'humanizing\'), respecting human existence, from employees to the surrounding community, to fellow citizens, even humans.

Pak JO encouraged the coverage of modern economics, capital markets

and digital startups (by approving the establishment of Kompas Cyber Media), but his heart continues to worry about the fate of farmers and fishermen. He remembered and was impressed by many figures such as the late Prof. Mubyarto from Gadjah Mada University (UGM) who initiated the Pancasila economic system.

According to employees, Pak JO is a generous person.

Long before the human resource development program was echoed, Pak JO had taken part in the efforts to educate the nation\'s people, among others, by providing scholarships for young Indonesian intellectuals to continue their postgraduate studies abroad. According to employees, Pak JO is a generous person. However, he himself felt that what he had given was inadequate because he had not nfulfilled the words of Mother Teresa who said, "Give, but give until it hurts".

The founder, master and enlightener has now left us. Sir, your shoes are too big for our feet. Along with our prayers, we also ask for God’s blessing that we will be stronNg enough to live in today\'s difficult times. O Allah, the Merciful, please accept Pak Jakob\'s acts of worship, and give him the most beautiful place in heaven.

KOMPAS/SATRIO PANGARSO WISANGGENI

Ninok Leksono

In a moment of loss, we promise to continue your dialectics for thoughts and work for advanced Indonesia. Yours always.

Ninok Leksono, Senior editor of Kompas daily