Indonesian Character and Humanity
The passing of Jakob Oetama is a great loss for Indonesia. In many circles, Jakob was not only a media figure, but also a national figure that held to a primary concern for the Indonesian character and humanity.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – A deluge of condolences flooded the occasion of the demise of Kompas Daily General Manager Jakob Oetama on Wednesday (9/9/2020) at 1:05 p.m. Western Indonesia Time at Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.
Jakob Oetama will be interred at Jakarta’s Kalibata Heroes Cemetery on Thursday (10/9) at 10:30 a.m.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo stated that with the passing of Jakob Oetama, Indonesia had lost not only a media figure, but also a national figure. “I truly feel a sense of loss with the demise of Bapak Jakob Oetama,” the President wrote on his social media account.
In his social media statement, President Jokowi remembered Jakob as a true journalist who possessed a strong fighting spirit and high critical acumen, as well as a humanitarian outlook. His always conveyed his views and criticisms elegantly and courteously.
I truly feel a sense of loss with the demise of Bapak Jakob Oetama
House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani said that Jakob Oetama was a highly inspiring press figure who firmly upheld press integrity and had a historical connection with Indonesia’s first president, President Sukarno. “I offer my heartfelt condolences on the demise of Pak Jakob Oetama,” she said.
Puan noted that Jakob was inseparable from the Kompas daily, and that Kompas’ history was inseparable from Bung Karno (Sukarno), who gave the daily newspaper the name Kompas in 1965.
Also read: The Legacy of Jakob Oetama
“At the time, Bung Karno said, ‘You know what kompas [compass] is? It shows the direction and way as you cross the seas and forests’,” Puan quoted the late President.
Jakarta Governor Anies R. Baswedan said last night that Pak Jakob had rendered tremendous services and contributions to the nation and state.
“There is a big and noble task to carry on and promote the work Pak Jakob has left behind,” said Anies.
Transcending humanitarianism
Muslim intellectual Azyumardi Azra described the late Jakob Oetama as a true humanitarian who loved the character of Indonesian nationalism. His humanitarianism transcended the bounds of ethnicity, sociocultural tradition and religion. Armed with this humanitarianism, Jakob empathized with Islamic organizations and Muslim intellectuals.
Since the founding of Kompas and up to the present day, Azyumardi said, Jakob’s commitment to national unity was indubitable. “It’s natural that no ethnic, religious, racial and intergroup [SARA] issues can be found in the reports Kompas presents, because [Jakob] was aware of how to select topics that reinforced national unity rather than provoked disintegration,” he added.
He was a patriot, not only a fighter for the media, but also one steeped in the Red-and-White character.
Constitutional Court justice Saldi Isra said that from only a handful of meetings, he came to believe in Jakob as an advocate of Indonesian diversity. “I only met him two or three times. At a meeting of Kompas junior writers in 2001 in Puncak, I grasped his message to the young Kompas journalists [to work] to preserve the diversity of Indonesia. Maintaining our diversity is to preserve the future of the Republic of Indonesia,” recounted Saldi.
Indonesian Press Council chairman Mohammad Nuh said that Jakob belonged not just to the press, but also the nation. “He was a patriot, not only a fighter for the media, but also one steeped in the Red-and-White character. Pak Jakob had an outlook that was genius, not only in media affairs, but also in envisaging an extraordinary vision for the nation,” said Nuh.
University of Indonesia rector Ari Kuncoro opined that the Kompas daily Jakob Oetama founded had continued to offer critical and analytical articles that proposed solutions at the same time. “In Indonesia, not many media can equal Kompas,” he said.
According to secretary-general Helmy Faishal Zaini of the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Central Board, Jakob’s passing was a great loss for Indonesia. Jakob had upheld tolerance and pluralism, as well as promoted peace. “He was a righteous figure, firm in his stance and flexible in his interactions,” said Helmy.
Muhammadiyah Central Board general chairman Haedar Nashir said: “The deceased [Jakob Oetama] dedicated himself to the advancement of the press and giving expression to progressive thoughts for the nation’s intellectual development.
“The wisdom and depth of Pak Jakob’s thinking went beyond the press corps, making him a visionary of the nation in advancing [intellectual] thought on the Indonesian character.”
Deputy general chairman Anton J. Supit of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said, “Besides working as an idealistic journalist, Pak Jakob could also prove, without abandoning his idealism, that he was capable of progressing his business actitivities, with [journalism] that expanded to cover other areas of the economy.”
Jakob Oetama’s son Lilik said his father had always told him to work hard, to be honest and to be grateful. “Pak Jakob advised us to always work hard, be honest and grateful for whatever gains we made, regardless of whether it was big or small. Everything should be tackled with high enthusiasm and without an end,” said Lilik, who is also the CEO of Kompas Gramedia.
He added that while Pak Jakob had passed away, his spirit would live on. “We and other successors at Kompas will always uphold his spirit to enlighten the nation. The light of Bapak will always shine on our path as the generation that succeeds [him at] Kompas amidst the nation’s current struggles and problems to reach the future,” said Lilik.
(HAR/NTA/INA/IKA/FRD/BIL/CAS/DEA/DIV/DAN/FAI/SHR/ERK/SKA/SPW)