Minangkabau businesspeople
Encyclopedia
Minangkabau Merchants refers to merchants from West Sumatra
, Indonesia
.
in Jambi and involved to formation Malayu Kingdom
. They became influential traders who operate on the west coast and east coast of Sumatra. gold at first became the main trade of Minang society. Beside gold, Minangs also brought spice from the Sumatra
n hinterland to be sold in the Straits of Malacca.
After the gold reserves decline, commodity became the main business of Minang people. Trade of pepper, acacia, and gambier, thrive in the 15th century until the 18th century. Followed by coffee trade in the 18th century to 19th. They brought merchandise from the interior of Minangkabau to the Straits of Malacca or the Indian Ocean
for sell to foreign merchants. To the east coast, the trade is mostly done through big rivers such as Kampar, Siak
, Indragiri
, and Batang Hari
. From these trading activities, many Minang traders who migrated and set up colonies along the west and east coast of Sumatra, even down to the Malaysian peninsula. On the west coast they established trading posts in Meulaboh
, Barus, Sorkam, Natal, Tiku, Pariaman
, Padang
, to Bengkulu
. On the east coast, their trading colonies stretching from Batubara
, Pelalawan
, up to Jambi.
Many Minangkabau people worked as intermediary traders for the Srivijaya empire, the Sultanate of Aceh and the Sultanate of Malacca. Minangs merchants built trading posts along the west coast of Sumatra from Meulaboh
to Bengkulu
.
During the latter part of 18th century and the early of 19th century, Minangkabau merchants developed a flourishing trade in gambier, coffee, and textiles. This led to conflicts with both local rulers and the Dutch. Then the Minang traders, seeking free markets on the east coast of Sumatra, were attempting to break the monopolies of the Dutch and the local political authority. Minang merchants declined after the Dutch
defeated Minangkabau people in the Padri War
. Until Indonesian independence in the late 1940s, West Sumatra
and its trading system was under Dutch East Indies
control.
In the 1950's, the new Minang businessman raised as indigenous traders among the Chinese. The most prominent were Rahman Tamin, Agus Musin Dasaad, Anwar Sutan Saidi, Sidi Tando, Hasyim Ning, Djohan & Djohor, and Sutan Sjahsam. Tamin and Dasaad whose business interests were based upon trade in small-holders rubber, tea, coffee, and pepper. Two of brothers, Djohan & Djohor, combined with Dasaad on the import of textiles from Japan
and importing raw cotton for the Indonesian textile industry. Sidi Tando, opened a paint factory and was to move into shipping in the early 1960s. Sutan Sjahsam, the brother of PNI figure Sutan Sjahrir
, who owned import company, N.V. Soetan Sjahsam Corporation, and the founder of Indonesian Capital Market. Hasyim Ning, the Mohammad Hatta
's step-brother, developed assembling automotive industry. In 1952, Ning was appointed President Director of The Indonesian Service Company, which imported and assembled Dodge
trucks and Willeys jeeps.
The rise of commercial culture in Minang society, caused by high legacy that ensures ownership and sustainability of land for every family in Minangkabau. With ownership of the land, the position of Minang society not only as the tenants only, but also a direct dealer who sold the results to the market.
In addition, the culture that infuses culture wander independently, making the profession to trade as a beginners job to make ends meet. Therefore, be street hawkers often be the beginning for many overseas Minang
.
Malaysia, Sari Ratu restaurants chain are the biggest one.
, the merchants domination at Tanah Abang, Senen, Blok M
, Jatinegara, and Bendungan Hilir. In Pekanbaru
, domination at Pasar Pusat and Pasar Bawah. In Medan
, domination at Sukaramai and in Surabaya
they have settled in Pasar Turi.
and Silungkang, Sawahlunto
. Many of Sungai Puar people sell of antique things. They settled mainly in Cikini and Ciputat
(both in Jakarta).
, founder of Hasta Mitra and H.M Arbie. Beside of them, the business roled by Sulit Air people.
. Natrabu Tour, founded by Rahimi Sutan, is the big tour travel company who has by Minang merchant.
founded Panji Masyarakat magazine, Rosihan Anwar
founded Pedoman newspaper, Ani Idrus
founded Waspada newspaper, Lukman Umar founded Kartini magazine, Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana
's son and daughter founded Femina magazine, and Abdul Latief founded TV One.
's brother, founded the broker company, Perdanas.
West Sumatra
West Sumatra is a province of Indonesia. It lies on the west coast of the island Sumatra. It borders the provinces of North Sumatra to the north, Riau and Jambi to the east, and Bengkulu to the southeast. It includes the Mentawai Islands off the coast...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
History
In 7th century, Minangkabau merchants sold the goldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
in Jambi and involved to formation Malayu Kingdom
Melayu Kingdom
Melayu Kingdom was a classical Southeast Asian kingdom that existed between the 7th and the 13th century of the common era. It was established around present-day Dharmasraya on Sumatera, Indonesia, approximately 300 km north of Palembang...
. They became influential traders who operate on the west coast and east coast of Sumatra. gold at first became the main trade of Minang society. Beside gold, Minangs also brought spice from the Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
n hinterland to be sold in the Straits of Malacca.
After the gold reserves decline, commodity became the main business of Minang people. Trade of pepper, acacia, and gambier, thrive in the 15th century until the 18th century. Followed by coffee trade in the 18th century to 19th. They brought merchandise from the interior of Minangkabau to the Straits of Malacca or the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
for sell to foreign merchants. To the east coast, the trade is mostly done through big rivers such as Kampar, Siak
Siak River
The Siak is a river of Riau, Sumatra, Indonesia, approximately 370 kilometres in length. It flows through the town of Pekanbaru before emptying into the Strait of Malacca.-References:...
, Indragiri
Indragiri River
The Indragiri River is a river in Sumatra, in the Indonesian province of Riau. It is formed from the union of the Ombilin River and the Sinamar River, and empties into the Strait of Malacca....
, and Batang Hari
Batang Hari River
The Batang Hari is the longest river in Sumatra, Indonesia. It originates in the Minangkabau highlands and flows to the east coast of Sumatra. The city of Jambi is located at the mouth of the river.-External links:...
. From these trading activities, many Minang traders who migrated and set up colonies along the west and east coast of Sumatra, even down to the Malaysian peninsula. On the west coast they established trading posts in Meulaboh
Meulaboh
Meulaboh is the capital of West Aceh Regency, Indonesia. Meulaboh is among the hardest hit areas by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Being just 150 km from the epicenter of the earthquake, Meulaboh was hit by tsunami, leaving the estimated deaths of 40,000 people out of 120,000...
, Barus, Sorkam, Natal, Tiku, Pariaman
Pariaman
Pariaman is a coastal city in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Pariaman has 72,089 inhabitants , an area of and a coastline. "Pariaman" means "safe area".-History:...
, Padang
Padang, Indonesia
Padang is the capital and largest city of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located on the western coast of Sumatra at . It has an area of and a population of over 833,000 people at the 2010 Census.-History:...
, to Bengkulu
Bengkulu
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is on the southwest coast of the island of Sumatra, and borders the provinces of West Sumatra, Jambi, South Sumatra and Lampung. The capital and largest city is Bengkulu city. It was formerly the site of a British garrison, which they called Bencoolen...
. On the east coast, their trading colonies stretching from Batubara
Batubara Regency
Batubara Regency is a regency on North Sumatra's eastern shoreline with Limapuluh as its seat, carved out in 2006 from the Asahan Regency, inaugurated at June 15, 2007.- Administrative divisions :...
, Pelalawan
Pelalawan
Pelalawan is a regency of Riau, Indonesia. It has an area of 12,647.29 km² and population of 150,609.The regency is divided into 10 subdistricts . The seat of the regency is located at Pangkalan Kerinci....
, up to Jambi.
Many Minangkabau people worked as intermediary traders for the Srivijaya empire, the Sultanate of Aceh and the Sultanate of Malacca. Minangs merchants built trading posts along the west coast of Sumatra from Meulaboh
Meulaboh
Meulaboh is the capital of West Aceh Regency, Indonesia. Meulaboh is among the hardest hit areas by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Being just 150 km from the epicenter of the earthquake, Meulaboh was hit by tsunami, leaving the estimated deaths of 40,000 people out of 120,000...
to Bengkulu
Bengkulu
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is on the southwest coast of the island of Sumatra, and borders the provinces of West Sumatra, Jambi, South Sumatra and Lampung. The capital and largest city is Bengkulu city. It was formerly the site of a British garrison, which they called Bencoolen...
.
During the latter part of 18th century and the early of 19th century, Minangkabau merchants developed a flourishing trade in gambier, coffee, and textiles. This led to conflicts with both local rulers and the Dutch. Then the Minang traders, seeking free markets on the east coast of Sumatra, were attempting to break the monopolies of the Dutch and the local political authority. Minang merchants declined after the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
defeated Minangkabau people in the Padri War
Padri War
The Padri War was fought from 1803 until 1837 in West Sumatra between two rival muslim factions. The Dutch intervened from 1821 and helped the Adats defeat the Padri faction.-Background:...
. Until Indonesian independence in the late 1940s, West Sumatra
West Sumatra
West Sumatra is a province of Indonesia. It lies on the west coast of the island Sumatra. It borders the provinces of North Sumatra to the north, Riau and Jambi to the east, and Bengkulu to the southeast. It includes the Mentawai Islands off the coast...
and its trading system was under Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
control.
In the 1950's, the new Minang businessman raised as indigenous traders among the Chinese. The most prominent were Rahman Tamin, Agus Musin Dasaad, Anwar Sutan Saidi, Sidi Tando, Hasyim Ning, Djohan & Djohor, and Sutan Sjahsam. Tamin and Dasaad whose business interests were based upon trade in small-holders rubber, tea, coffee, and pepper. Two of brothers, Djohan & Djohor, combined with Dasaad on the import of textiles from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and importing raw cotton for the Indonesian textile industry. Sidi Tando, opened a paint factory and was to move into shipping in the early 1960s. Sutan Sjahsam, the brother of PNI figure Sutan Sjahrir
Sutan Sjahrir
Sutan Sjahrir , an avant garde and idealistic Indonesian intellectual, was a revolutionary independence leader...
, who owned import company, N.V. Soetan Sjahsam Corporation, and the founder of Indonesian Capital Market. Hasyim Ning, the Mohammad Hatta
Mohammad Hatta
was born in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Dutch East Indies . He was Indonesia's first vice president, later also serving as the country's Prime Minister. Known as "The Proclamator", he and a number of Indonesians, including the first president of Indonesia, Sukarno, fought for the independence of...
's step-brother, developed assembling automotive industry. In 1952, Ning was appointed President Director of The Indonesian Service Company, which imported and assembled Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
trucks and Willeys jeeps.
Culture
Trade is one of the prominent culture in Minangkabau society. For those of Minang society, as a trader not just for living and the pursuit of wealth, but also as a form of existence to become an independent. In the Minang culture is egalitarian, everyone will try to become a leader. Being a sub-ordinate other people, so it's ready to take orders, not a right choice. The principle "better to be the leader of a small group rather than a large organization men" is a principle most of the Minang community. Being a trader is one way to satisfy these principles, as well as being independent. By trade, Minang people could fulfill its ambitions, to live a normal life as they wish, to live freely without any party in restraint. So many Minangkabau wanderers prefer sunbathe sweltering on the sidewalk, selling socks, rather than having to work in an office, often in order and in the mad-scold.The rise of commercial culture in Minang society, caused by high legacy that ensures ownership and sustainability of land for every family in Minangkabau. With ownership of the land, the position of Minang society not only as the tenants only, but also a direct dealer who sold the results to the market.
In addition, the culture that infuses culture wander independently, making the profession to trade as a beginners job to make ends meet. Therefore, be street hawkers often be the beginning for many overseas Minang
Overseas Minangkabau
The Overseas Minangkabau are people of Minang birth or descent who live outside the province of West Sumatra. Nowadays, over half of the Minangkabau people can be considered Overseas Minangkabaus. They make up the majority of the population of Negeri Sembilan and Pekanbaru...
.
Restaurant
Restaurant and food are the Minang merchants favorite sector. The Minangkabau restaurant or known as Restoran Padang in many Indonesian cities, as well as Malaysia and Singapore. The merchants always build the own-brand for their restaurant, such as Restoran Sederhana, the biggest Minang restaurant chain which has over 60 outlets whole of Indonesia. In Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
Malaysia, Sari Ratu restaurants chain are the biggest one.
Textile
The Minangs textile trader dominated traditional market in many cities of Indonesia. In JakartaJakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, the merchants domination at Tanah Abang, Senen, Blok M
Blok M
Blok M is a business and shopping quarter located in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, Indonesia. It runs east from Iskandarsyah street to Bulungan street in the west. North from Falatehan street to Melawai street in the south. The development is less modern than some of the developments near Kota,...
, Jatinegara, and Bendungan Hilir. In Pekanbaru
Pekanbaru
Pekanbaru is the capital of Riau, a province in Indonesia on the island of Sumatra. It has an area of 632.26 km² and a population of 903,902. Located on the Siak River, which drains to the Strait of Malacca...
, domination at Pasar Pusat and Pasar Bawah. In Medan
Medan
- Demography :The city is Indonesia's fourth most populous after Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung, and Indonesia's largest city outside of Java island. Much of the population lies outside its city limits, especially in Deli Serdang....
, domination at Sukaramai and in Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
they have settled in Pasar Turi.
Craft
Many of Minangkabau merchants sell gold, silver crafts, and shoes. Most of them came from Pandai Sikek, Tanah DatarTanah Datar
Tanah Datar is a regency in West Sumatra province, Indonesia. The regency has a population of 334,000. The capital of the regency is Batusangkar...
and Silungkang, Sawahlunto
Sawahlunto
Kota Sawahlunto or Sawah Lunto is a town in West Sumatra, Indonesia. This town covers 5.86 km² and has a population of 15,279.Sawahlunto is one of the mining towns in West Sumatra. It was first established as a town in 1982 by the Dutch along with the coal mining operations during that time....
. Many of Sungai Puar people sell of antique things. They settled mainly in Cikini and Ciputat
Ciputat
Ciputat is a subdistrict in the city of South Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia. The population is 207,800....
(both in Jakarta).
Printing
Many of Minang merchants were involved with publishing house and printing. The successful merchants in printing business were Joesoef IsakJoesoef Isak
Joesoef Isak was an Indonesian publisher, translator, and left-wing intellectual. He was an advocate of free speech during President Suharto's authoritarian New Order administration, and was imprisoned from 1967 to 1977 without trial. In 1980, he helped found and direct the publishing house Hasta...
, founder of Hasta Mitra and H.M Arbie. Beside of them, the business roled by Sulit Air people.
Hospitality
The Minang merchants also supported Indonesian tourism industry. Their founded hotel and tour travel company. In Jakarta, the Minang merchants develop Grand Menteng hotel chain and Basrizal Koto built Best Western Hotel in Pekanbaru and PadangPadang, Indonesia
Padang is the capital and largest city of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located on the western coast of Sumatra at . It has an area of and a population of over 833,000 people at the 2010 Census.-History:...
. Natrabu Tour, founded by Rahimi Sutan, is the big tour travel company who has by Minang merchant.
Education
Universities in Jakarta owned by Minangkabau are University of Jayabaya, University of Persada Indonesia YAI, and University of Borobudur.Media
Many of Minang journalist founded media company (newspaper, magazine and television network). They are Sutan Maharaja, founded Oetoesan Melajoe on 1915, HamkaHamka
Haji Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah, known as Hamka was a prominent Indonesian author, ulema and politician. His father, syekh Abdul Karim Amrullah, known as Haji Rasul, led and inspired the reform movement in Sumatra upon his arrival from the holy land Mecca in 1906...
founded Panji Masyarakat magazine, Rosihan Anwar
Rosihan Anwar
Rosihan Anwar was a renowned Indonesian journalist and author.Rosihan Anwar was born in Kubang Nan Dua, West Sumatra. Rosihan received early education at HIS and MULO in Padang. He continued his school to AMS in Yogyakarta and often participated journalism workshop at Columbia University, New York...
founded Pedoman newspaper, Ani Idrus
Ani Idrus
Ani Idrus was born in Sawah Lunto, West Sumatra on November 25, 1918 and died on January 9, 1999. Ani Idrus was a prominent reporter and co-founder Waspada daily newspaper with her husband Mohamad Said on 1947....
founded Waspada newspaper, Lukman Umar founded Kartini magazine, Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana
Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana
Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana , was born in Natal, North Sumatra. His family came from Minangkabau who migration in 19th century. He was a founder and editor of Pujangga Baru. He became one of Indonesian literature's guiding lights in its formative years, particularly in the time around independence...
's son and daughter founded Femina magazine, and Abdul Latief founded TV One.
Financial
In Indonesia, the Minangkabau merchants were involved in developing the national banking industry. In 1930, Anwar Sutan Saidi founded Bank Nasional. Beside as pioneer in banking sector, the other Minang merchants, Sutan Sjahsam as pioneer of capital market industry. Sjahsam, the Sutan SjahrirSutan Sjahrir
Sutan Sjahrir , an avant garde and idealistic Indonesian intellectual, was a revolutionary independence leader...
's brother, founded the broker company, Perdanas.
Notable Minangkabau business people
- Djohor Soetan Perpatih. Co-founded N.V Djohor Djohan with his brother Djohan Soetan Soelaiman. Djohor Djohan famous as discount shop what always gave discount to the customers.
- Hasyim Ning. The Minangkabau merchants in SukarnoSukarnoSukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
's regime. He founded Indonesia Service Company, the automotive service. Hasyim hold Europe-American automotive brand license and was called Indonesian Henry Ford. Beside that, Hasyim also successed in hospitality business, such as hotel and tour travel. - Abdul Latief. The owner and founder ALatief Corporation. It subsidiaries are Pasaraya, the retail trade chain and TV One, the television network. Latief was politician in the New OrderNew OrderNew Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
era as the Labour minister. - Basrizal KotoBasrizal KotoBasrizal Koto is a businessman from Indonesia; the owner of a well-known Indonesian conglomerate. Usually addressed as "Basko", he is involved with media, printing, mining, livestock, hospitality, and property....
. One of a Minangkabau conglomerate successful. Basrizal, usually call as Basko has hotel, mining company, shopping centre, TV-cable, and the largest cattle company in South East Asia. Basko's business based on Sumatra, mainly in Pekanbaru and Padang. - Rahimi Sutan. The business man who came from PayakumbuhPayakumbuhPayakumbuh is a city north-east of Bukittinggi , Indonesia. It has an area of 80.43 km² and a population of over 99,300 people. Literally translated, the city name means "grassy swamp"....
. He has been business since young. He developed tour travel company and the restaurants under Natrabu Grup. Nowadays Natrabu Tour and Travel has branches in the whole of Indonesia, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Great BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, and the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. - Fahmi IdrisFahmi IdrisFahmi Idris . He is a politician in the Golkar Party and an Indonesian government minister under the Habibie and Yudhoyono presidencies. He gained a bachelor's degree at the Faculty of Economics, University of Indonesia.- External links :...
. As the business man who founded PT Kodel and politician of GolkarGolkarThe Party of the Functional Groups is a political party in Indonesia. It is also known as Sekber Golkar . It was the ruling party during Suharto's regime...
party. His business are trading and investment. - Tunku Tan Sri AbdullahTunku Tan Sri AbdullahTunku Tan Sri Abdullah ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman was a Malaysian businessmen and a founder of the Melewar Corporation.-Background:Tunku Tan Sri Abdullah was born on 2 May 1925 at Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan....
. The Minang-Malaysian businessman. He operates manufacturing company and iron steel company under the corporate flag Melewar CorporationMelewar CorporationMelewar Corporation or Melewar Industrial Group Berhad is a manufacturing company in Malaysia. It is owned by the family of its late founder and chairman Tunku Tan Sri Abdullah ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman from Negeri Sembilan royal family and operates manufacturing and trade of steel...
.