The Guru’s Departure

KOMPAS/DANU KUSWORO

The family representative, Liliek Oetama sowed the ground during the funeral of his father, who is also the General Leader of Kompas Daily, Jakob Oetama at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery, Jakarta, Thursday (10/09/2020).

The departure of a human being is under the absolute jurisdiction of the Almighty – when, where and how the departure occurs. Why, then, do we feel sad when a certain person leaves the world? Is such a departure not an inevitability?

Surely we are saddened because of the eternal legacies the person has left behind – filled with memories, imprinted in our hearts and hardened in our minds. Jakob Oetama, among the nation’s best sons, has left us longstanding legacies in our hearts. Lessons and examples abound. They inspire us and serve as foundations for our nation’s dreams. We are saddened by the departure of the one who makes them.

Who Jakob Oetama was

Jakob Oetama was Kompas and Kompas was Jakob Oetama. It was an eternal linkage between the man and the institution. They were integrated in a noble goal and mission: “The Mandate of the People’s Conscience”. It was a noble mission that he not only promoted and campaigned for, but also deeply believed in and put into practice in his daily life. As a journalist, he was deeply consistent in realizing his mission.

Also read: Indonesian Character and Humanity

In carrying out his method, Jakob Oetama was highly aware of the importance of a cultural approach. He might have been angry, but he never slapped. He might have protested, but he never made any deafening shout. He might have rejected but he never undermined the dignity of those who made the demands. He criticized through softness and politeness. He never slashed or created pain. Such was Jakob Oetama’s paradigm in leading Kompas and other groups. This is why Kompas is still standing tall through the ages, even after five decades.

As such, can we say that Jakob Oetama was merely enforcing a journalism of self-survival? Absolutely not. Kompas was banned once by Soeharto. In certain aspects, Jakob Oetama never compromised his principles. He did not surf atop sold out idealism. He was also steadfast in holding onto his principles and idealism.

Jakob Oetama was not merely a reliable journalist. He was also a businessman with extraordinary business instincts, complemented with strong managerial capabilities. We can imagine that the immense Kompas Gramedia Group with its various businesses necessitates

managerial sophistication. Jakob Oetama had it. Kompas Gramedia has newspapers in various forms and market shares, hotel chains, publishing companies, a major bookstore chain, TV channels and many other business entities. All of these reaffirm Jakob Oetama’s capabilities in business and management.

I believe that Jakob Oetama decided to establish his various businesses due to his sharp instinct that, one day, because of various factors, including technological shifts, the newspaper and magazine businesses would recede. A digital transformation was carried out that still preserved Kompas’ values.

For instance, Jakob Oetama was not reluctant to spend money to establish an institution called Bentara Budaya, a hub for cultural shows and exhibitions.

We also knew Jakob Oetama as a humanist who was deeply sensitive to cultural issues, including using a cultural approach in his daily life. For instance, Jakob Oetama was not reluctant to spend money to establish an institution called Bentara Budaya, a hub for cultural shows and exhibitions.

In the context of a cultural approach, Gen. M. Jusuf once told me that he once visited Jakob Oetama while he was defense minister and armed forces commander. Gen. Jusuf told Jakob Oetama that it seemed he was not appreciated by then-President Soeharto for his achievements, including rejuvenating the spirit of the country’s soldiers. Jakob Oetama then gave Gen. Jusuf advice that he should try to understand the Javanese wisdom that said there should not be twin suns. At the time, Gen. Jusuf was highly popular because of his concept of unity between people and the Armed Forces as well as the military community service program known as ABRI Masuk Desa.

Also read: Goodbye, Pak Jakob

Gen. Jusuf understood what the advice meant. Wherever he went, he always began his speeches with the words, “Warm greetings from Mr. President. He ordered me to…” This was how Jakob Oetama advised people. In this context, it was evident that Jakob Oetama never forced his wishes in advising people. He guided them but he never pushed his own ideas. This is understandable as Jakob Oetama was a teacher in his younger days.

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

TNI personnel carry a photo of the General Leader of Kompas Daily, Jakob Oetama, after a mass release at the Kompas Gramedia Building, South Palmerah, Thursday (10/9/2020).

I began interacting with Kompas when it was first published. Kompas was a guide for activists in the 1960s. It has always been known for its objectivity, and it was our guiding star in understanding the social and political issues of the time. Before that, I had subscribed to Intisari magazine.

My personal closeness to Jakob Oetama began in the 1980s. At the time, I chaired the South Sulawesi branch office of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce. Every time Kompas organized an economic panel discussion, I was always invited as a speaker and Jakob Oetama always gave the opening speech. From these meetings, we became closer.

We grew even closer when I moved from Makassar to Jakarta as then-President Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid appointed me as minister in 2000. Every three months, I routinely had breakfast with Jakob Oetama and Kompas senior journalists, either at my residence or Hotel Santika.

In line with Jakob Oetama’s physical condition over the past few months, we still had our routine breakfasts but Jakob Oetama no longer took part in them. In all of these breakfasts, we talked about various national issues.

Through these personal interactions, it was evident that Jakob Oetama was always deeply concerned about stagnation and he could not stay quiet about what was happening around him. He was always thinking about various national issues. His conscience was filled with them. His mind was constantly turning, and he could never stand idly by. No matter how weak his physique was, his contemplations remained deep and he remained a calculating person.

It was more natural to him to show his curiosity rather than his knowledge.

For me, Jakob Oetama had vast and comprehensive knowledge. However, Jakob Oetama was ultimately a person who could listen. No matter how deep his knowledge on an issue was, Jakob Oetama never lost his self-restraint and he never boasted. It was more natural to him to show his curiosity rather than his knowledge. This was Jakob Oetama’s superiority to others.

Also read: “I am a Journalist”

Jakob Oetama’s abilities to articulate and build a narrative were incredibly rare. No matter how complicated a problem was, in the hands of Jakob Oetama, everything could be resolved through simple arguments. He complemented this ability with his amazing rhetoric that made everyone want to discuss issues with him. There was never a boring moment when talking with Jakob Oetama. He always spoke coherently, logically and full of metaphors. No matter what he said, it always sounded like expressions of deep thoughts. This made any discussion with Jakob Oetama a highly unique experience.

KOMPAS/WISNU NUGROHO

Jusuf Kalla

Now, he has been laid to rest for eternity. However, his narratives and articulations remain alive and serve as guidance for our nation. He, Jakob Oetama, was not just a teacher in front of his class. He was also a guru for the entire nation. His footsteps will be eternal, in line with his revered name. Have a good rest, Pak Jakob Oetama.

M Jusuf Kalla, Vice President of Indonesia, 2004-2009 and 2014-2019