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| Car Free Day @ M.H. Thamrin Street |
♥ Government
Offices : The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, The Ministry of
Religion Affairs, National Board of Technology Planning and Application, The
Board of National Election Supervisory,
♥ National
and Foreign Bank Offices : Indonesia Central Bank (Bank Indonesia), Rama Bank,
Bangkok Bank, Syariah Mandiri Bank, Deutsche Bank
♥ High
quality Hotels : Sari Pan Pacific, Grand Hyatt, The Pullman, Indonesia
Kempinsky (the first 5 star hotel in Jakarta formerly named Hotel Indonesia),
and Mandarin Oriental Hotel
♥ Shopping
paradise and Entertainment center : Sarinah Department Store (the first ever
Department Store in Jakarta), Jakarta Theater Building, EX Plaza, Plaza Indonesia, and Grand Indonesia Shopping
Town
♥ Bundaran
Hotel Indonesia (Hotel Indonesia Fountain Roundabout), the Jakarta main
landmark (beside National Monument), a place where we can freely shout our
voices in the new reformation era
♥ Embassy
of the foreign countries, like : Japan Embassy, South Korean Embassy, France
Embassy, British Embassy, German Embassy,
♥ 3
in 1 Car Program (at certain time cars that pass this street must contain at
least 3 person in it), Jakarta Car Free Day or Car Free Night, Jakarta Cultural
Parade, Jakarta Marathon, etc
Now, enough with this sightseeing information (I can’t stand to tell the history and facts of all that I write .. sorry .. hehehehe). Now, I wanna ask you a very important question .. you know the street name, you know its location, maybe you pass this street several time in a day, but .. do you really know about a man who made a remarkable struggle which from him this street got its name??
Do you really know who Mr. Mohammad Husni Thamrin is? It’s okay if you don’t really know him .. (actually it’s not okay .. I think you should know him better .. More than just a street name)
For those who don’t know Mr. Mohammad Husni Thamrin, here’s the story about one of our greatest National Hero ...
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| M.H. Thamrin Statue - Located in the North start point of M.H. Thamrin Street |
M. H. Thamrin Early Days
I want to start with asking you about where was
he came from? In a little survey that I’ve made, only view person answered me
correctly. Many people say that he was Javanese, or come from Minangkabau,
while others say that he was from Borneo.
Well, Mohammad Hoesni Thamrin, was a Betawi or
Jakarta originated. He was born in Weltevreden,
Batavia (now Sawah Besar, Jakarta), on 16 February 1894. His father Thamrin
bin Thabri was a Wedana (district head) from the Batavia Dutch East Indies administrative under Governor General Johan Cornelis van der Wijck, it was a
very rare position for an inlanders (Indonesian native) in the Dutch East
Indies government system.
Because of his father position, little Thamrin
was lucky enough to had education in his early days. First he entered Bosch Institute (a kind of private Dutch
Elementary School). After graduated from this school, he then proceeded to Koning Willem III Gymnasium High School,
which was made him very easy to get an administrative job after. He then worked in several governmental jobs
before finally work as a Book Keeper in Koninklijke
Paketvaart Maatschappij (KPM – a Dutch Shipping Venture). And this was his
last job as an employee, because after that he only devoted his energy and mind
to the social and politic issues.
Back in his teenager time, he already had a big
concern about the wealth of his people and the development of his beloved city,
Batavia. There was Daart van der Zee,
a socialist Dutch, member of Batavia
Gemeenteraad (Batavia City Council) who had lofty ideals to make life of
people of Batavia better and prosperous. Mr. Van der Zee then became young
Thamrin close friend. In 1905, the government formed Batavia Gemeenteraad (Batavia City Council). With this council,
later Thamrin would play the important role in his struggle for Indonesian
independence.
The political inspiration for young Thamrin had
also came from several Indonesian independence movement figures such as Mr. Koperberg, Mr. Ernest Douwes Dekker,
later known as Mr. Danudirja Setiabudi (grandson of Mr. Eduard Douwes Dekker or
Multatuli – famous for his book “Max Havelaar”), Mr. dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo and Suwardi
Suryaningrat (or known as Ki Hajar Dewantara).
M.H. Thamrin Political Carrier
His friendship with Mr. Daart van der Zee caused
a political interest for him to focus on social issues in Batavia. He realized
how bad the condition of Betawi people social life back then. The city wasn’t
guarantee for the health of the people. Many of Kampungs (villages) were dirty
and muddy. And because of his interest of these matters, finally in 27 October
1919, in the age of 25 (the minimum age for a counselor) he was assigned and
attended his first Batavia City Council Assembly as a member of the council.
Notes : sometimes I wonder,
what were we doing in the age of 25? Mostly in that age we pursuit our demand
of life and don’t give a damn care about social life around us!
By the time M.H. Thamrin was assigned to be a counselor in
Batavia City Council, he was 25, and still working as a Book Keeper in KPM. This
progress didn’t please his boss in KPM and the boss was trying to prevent him
from active in the City Council. He offered Thamrin a promotion and better rank
in the job with the increase of salary if he wants to move to Banjarmasin,
South Borneo. But, Thamrin had made a fix decision. He only wanted to give all
of his effort to the fate of Batavia people. So, officially in 17 September
1924, Thamrin resigned from KPM.
If in these days we often see the Governor of
Jakarta, Mr. Joko Widodo (Jokowi) does the inspection to the corners of Jakarta
area (or Blusukan in Javanese
languange), M.H. Thamrin has done that 93
years ago! As a City Counselor, he visited the corners of Batavia to witness
the condition of Batavia people with his own eyes. He then made a political
speech in front of the City Council Assembly, demanded the government to fix
and develop “kampungs” in Batavia. His speech then responded by the government,
who launched the project called “Kanal
Ciliwung”. The government built wider water canal to control the flood in
villages of Batavia.
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| Mohammad Hoesni Thamrin |
M.H. Thamrin political carrier kept on going. Here’s
some record if his carrier back then:
♥ In
1923, he appointed to be the Chairman of “Kaum
Betawi”, a social organization that had a big concern to promote trade,
education and public health.
♥ In
1927, there was a vacancy in Volksraad
(Nation Council or like our House of Representatives now). Thamrin was offered
the position and he said yes. What he think was, with Volksraad he would expand his struggle nationally, more than just
Batavia, but for Indonesia.
♥ In
1929, he hold the position of Loco
Burgemeester (Deputy Major), a position that very important for native
Indonesian at that time. While his service in Volksraad was improving from time to time. One of his biggest
contribution in Volksraad was to do
investigation about Peonale Sanctie,
it was a
kind of punishment imposed to plantation workers by the Dutch government. One
particular case was what happened with
North Sumatera Tobacco Plantation workers. They were treated like animals,
struck and whipped. Volksraad then
sent Thamrin and his colleague Kusumo Utoyo to North Sumatera n order to investigate this issue.
And the report about this then read
by Thamrin in Volksraad Assembly in
27 January 1930.
The respond for this issue then came from domestic and also international community
including Europe and America. And as a result Peonale Sanctie was determinate.
♥ In
1930, M.H. Thamrin
was appointed as Chairman of “Fraksi
National” inside Volksraad.
♥ In
1932, M.H. Thamrin
was appointed as a Chairman of PPPKI (Permufakatan
Perhimpunan Politik Kebangsaan Indonesia) in its congress in Surabaya, East
Java. In the same year, He became member of VIA (Vereniging van Indonesia Akademici – Perhimpunan Kaum Akademisi
Indonesia), and in one of this organization congress, he bravely suggested to
government of Japan not to buy Sugar from Indonesia because of the vicious
treatment of Dutch government to the sugarcane plantation workers in Indonesia.
And for this he strongly warned by the Dutch Government and consider as a
dangerous person in politics.
♥ In
1935, M.H. Thamrin
appointed as a Head of Political Department of Partai Indonesia Raya (Parindra)
which he had the opportunity to serve together with his idol dr. Sutomo (the
founder of Budi Utomo organization).
♥ In
1938, after the death of dr. Sutomo, Thamrin was appointed as Vice
Chairman of Parindra.
♥ In
1939, GAPI (Gabungan Politik Indonesia)
was formed and soon Parindra joint in this new political movement. The slogan “Indonesia Berparlemen” was suddenly
promote and sounded in every chance they had. In this year, as a Volksraad Counselor, M.H. Thamrin make a motion
(and probably the most dangerous motion he ever did) for Dutch Government to
use word “Indonesia, Indonesia and
Indonesier” instead of “Netherland
Indie, Netherland Indies and Inlander”.
He insisted and proposed to use those words in every Law and every Dutch Indies
Government Regulation. But, with
the reason that Government didn’t have time to discuss this mater since Dutch
was involved in World War II, the Dutch Indies Government then rejected his
proposal. Thamrin was very disappointed with the rejection.
♥ In
1940, in a congress of Parindra in Cirebon, West Java, Thamrin made a strong
speech about the liberty of Indonesia, the right to have our own parliament. “People of Indonesia cannot wait for the
approval from Netherland regarding our demand to have our own parliament. We
must fight to achieve our goals with our own power and strenght.” He said
in that congress. And for the effect of that, all Parindra activities had
banned by the government. And Thamrin considered as a very dangerous man for
the Dutch Government in Indonesia.
♥ In
1941, after a search operation in the house of the leader of Pemandangan
Newspaper Mr. M. Tabrani, the Dutch Government found some letter written by M.H. Thamrin which stated the
invective for the Dutch Government.
This is the point where the Dutch Government considers M.H. Thamrin as an enemy of
the state. In 6 January 1941, Thamrin captured and subjected to house arrest by
the Dutch Government
The Loss of Our Nation
Mohammad Hoesni Thamrin was arrested in his
house start from 06 January 1941 in sick condition. He was forbidden to meet
his friends, except for his personal doctor, dr. Kayadu, his wife, his foster
son and his loyal maid Mr. Entong.
11 January 1941, at 03.00 in the morning, one of
our best national hero, the pride of Betawi people, Mohammad Hoesni Thamrin was
passed away in the age of 47. His body laid in Karet Bivak Cemetery covered
with Parindra flag Green, Red and White. People of Jakarta were shocked and
grieving for this loss. And also the people of Indonesia. We lost one of our
best country men. And only 4 years from his death, our nation had declared the
independence. It was so sad that M.H. Thamrin didn’t had a chance to see red
and white flag fluttering in the air of Jakarta. But, his struggle, his
dedication and all of his effort will not be forgotten. And every time we pass
M.H. Thamrin Street, should we remember him, take a moment to send a prayer for
him, may he rest in peace.
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| In this house M.H. Thamrin passed away in 11 January 1941. Located in Jalan Kenari II No. 15 - Central Jakarta, now the house has become M.H. Thamrin Museum |
So, now you know that our biggest protocol
street in Jakarta is named after this great man! It’s more than just a street
name, it’s the history of our struggle and devotion to the liberty.
Farewell, Mr. Thamrin ... You are a good man!!
Notes :
The Government of Republic of Indonesia conferred the title of National Hero for Mohammad Hoesni Thamrin with the Presidential Decree of the Republic of Indonesia No. 175 / 1960 dated July 28th, 1960
Notes :
The Government of Republic of Indonesia conferred the title of National Hero for Mohammad Hoesni Thamrin with the Presidential Decree of the Republic of Indonesia No. 175 / 1960 dated July 28th, 1960
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