Ciputra, Talking about Entrepreneurship until the End
Entrepreneurship is key for individuals, companies and countries to progress. Through entrepreneurship, we can turn waste into gold and fields of grass into new cities.
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“Entrepreneurship is key for individuals, companies and countries to progress. Through entrepreneurship, we can turn waste into gold and fields of grass into new cities.”
Ciputra, the founder of the Ciputra Group, made this statement at a recent event organized by Kompas in Jakarta.
They were the first words that came to mind upon hearing the news of Ciputra or Pak Ci’s passing. One of the pioneers of entrepreneurship in Indonesia died at 88 years old at the Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore on Wednesday (27/11/2019) at 5 minutes past midnight Singapore time.
The wise words on entrepreneurship perfectly encapsulated Ciputra’s life journey. Pak Ci started his life at the bottom and he was listed in a mid-2019 edition of Forbes magazine as among Indonesia’s richest with a family wealth of Rp 15.4 trillion (US$1.09 billion).
“He was a legend with various legacies. His contribution in developing entrepreneurship should be given the highest appreciation,” Crown Group founder and commissioner Iwan Sunito said.
Ciputra was born in Parigi, Central Sulawesi, on 24 August 1931. His father died when he was just 11 years old. Despite limitations, Ciputra graduated from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in 1960.
As a young engineer, Ciputra took the path of entrepreneurship by opening an architecture consultancy in a garage. One year later, Ciputra was involved in establishing the Jakarta administration’s Jaya Group.
Thanks to his entrepreneurial spirit, Ciputra reclaimed the Ancol area in 1966 and transformed it into the Jaya Ancol Dreampark. Today, Ancol remains Indonesia’s most comprehensive entertainment region.
As a successful developer, Pak Ci did not wish to be prosperous alone. He established Real Estat Indonesia (REI) in 1972 as a medium to organize and teach developers how to do property business properly.
He taught us many things, including the basics on how to become property businessmen and how to maintain the quality of buildings.
“He taught us many things, including the basics on how to become property businessmen and how to maintain the quality of buildings,” REI chairman Soelaeman Soemawinata said at the REI National Assembly in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Ciputra was not satisfied quickly with Jaya Group. The Metropolitan Group that he cofounded with Sudono Salim and Sudwikatmono transformed Jakarta’s suburban area of Pondok Indah into an elite residential area. He also transformed rubber plantations in Serpong into an independent satellite city.
Then, Ciputra founded the Ciputra Group and prepared his family members as entrepreneurs. In the group, Pak Ci emphasized three foundational values, including integrity, professionalism and entrepreneurship.
After successfully practicing entrepreneurship for four decades, he actively encouraged the younger generation to become entrepreneurs. Ciputra organized entrepreneurship training and established the Ciputra University to prepare young entrepreneurs.
“New entrepreneurs are important for Indonesia to end poverty. How ironic it is that Indonesia has plenty of natural wealth and yet its people are poor,” Ciputra said in a meeting with Kompas in 2007.
PT Ciputra Residence CEO and Ciputra’s son-in-law Budiarsa Sastrawinata said that, before Pak Ci died, he was still talking about his dreams of entrepreneurship in Indonesia.
Other than entrepreneurship, Pak Ci is also known for his love of the arts. His home in Pondok Indah is like an art gallery. Statues are installed in front of his residence and the Ciputra World Mall. He also established the international-standard Ciputra Artpreneur.