Mochtar Lubis
Encyclopedia
Mochtar Lubis was an Indonesian Batak
journalist and novelist who co-founded Indonesia Raya
. His novel Senja di Jakarta
(Twilight in Jakarta in English) was the first Indonesian
novel to be translated into English. He was a critic of Sukarno
and was imprisoned by him. He has been described as a "renaissance man par excellence."
, West Sumatra
to Raja Pandapotan Lubis, a high-ranking civil servant, and his wife. He was the sixth child of twelve.
As a child, Lubis wrote children's stories which were published in Sinar Deli, a Medan
-based newspaper. When he was an adolescent, Mochtar Lubis often trekked into the jungles of Sumatra
. Lubis later wrote that two events during this period, seeing a well-built yet abandoned hut and having a close call with a tiger, served partly as his inspiration for Harimau! Harimau!
After graduating from high school, Lubis worked as a teacher in Nias
, North Sumatra
. However, after a year he left for Batavia
, where he worked at a bank. When World War II
broke out and the Japanese occupied Indonesia
in 1942, Lubis began working for the Japanese, translating international news for the Japanese army.
After Indonesia declared its independence in 1945, Lubis joined the Indonesian news agency Antara as a reporter. With Antara, he covered the Asian Relations Conference
in 1947. During this same period he wrote Jalan Tak Ada Ujung and joined the Indonesian Visual Artists Association.
In 1949, Lubis cofounded Indonesia Raya
, later serving as the daily's chief editor. His work with Indonesia Raya led to him being imprisoned numerous times for his critical writing, including in Madiun
, East Java
, from 1957 - 1966.
On 4 February 1975, Lubis was arrested in relation to the 1974 riots during the visit of Japan
ese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka
; Indonesia Raya was also shut down not long after the riots due to their reporting of the Pertamina
corruption scandal. Lubis spent over two months in Nirbaya prison without trial and was released on 14 April 1975. He noted that other prisoners, such as former Indonesian Air Force
chief Omar Dani, had been imprisoned without trial for years.
Lubis founded and co-founded numerous magazines and foundations, including the Obor Indonesia Foundation in 1970, Horison magazine, and the Indonesian Green Foundation. Lubis was also outspoken about the need for freedom of the press
in Indonesia and gained a reputation as an honest, no-nonsense reporter.
After a long struggle against Alzheimer's disease
Lubis died in Medistra Hospital on 2 July 2004 at age 82. He was buried with next to his wife in Jeruk Purut Cemetery
. His funeral was attended by hundreds, including journalists and writers Rosihan Anwar
, Aristiddes Katoppo and Ramadhan KH.
Lubis was an avid practitioner of yoga
, which he started practicing in prison.
for Journalism, Literature, and the Creative Communication Arts with Robert Dick.
Lubis's novel Harimau! Harimau! was named Best Book by Yayasan Buku Utama, a part of the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture, in 1975, and an award from Yayasan Jaya Raya in 1979.
Lubis has been described as a "renaissance man par excellence" and a "press freedom champion". Numerous publications have been written describing him and his works.
Batak (Indonesia)
Batak is a collective term used to identify a number of ethnic groups predominantly found in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The term is used to include the Toba, Karo, Pakpak, Simalungun, Angkola and Mandailing, each of which are distinct but related groups with distinct, albeit related, languages and...
journalist and novelist who co-founded Indonesia Raya
Indonesia Raya (newspaper)
Indonesia Raya was an Indonesian newspaper co-founded in 1949 by Mochtar Lubis. Before its permanent closure in 1974, it was banned numerous times by both the Sukarno and Suharto governments.-History:...
. His novel Senja di Jakarta
Senja di Jakarta
Senja di Jakarta is an Indonesian novel written by Mochtar Lubis and first published in English by Hutchinson & Co. in 1963, with a translation by Claire Holt. It was later published in Indonesian in 1970.-Writing:...
(Twilight in Jakarta in English) was the first Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
novel to be translated into English. He was a critic of Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, 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...
and was imprisoned by him. He has been described as a "renaissance man par excellence."
Biography
Lubis was born on March 7, 1922 in 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:...
, 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...
to Raja Pandapotan Lubis, a high-ranking civil servant, and his wife. He was the sixth child of twelve.
As a child, Lubis wrote children's stories which were published in Sinar Deli, a 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....
-based newspaper. When he was an adolescent, Mochtar Lubis often trekked into the jungles of 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...
. Lubis later wrote that two events during this period, seeing a well-built yet abandoned hut and having a close call with a tiger, served partly as his inspiration for Harimau! Harimau!
After graduating from high school, Lubis worked as a teacher in Nias
Nias
Nīas is an island off the western coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. Nias is also the name of the archipelago, containing the Hinako archipelago....
, North Sumatra
North Sumatra
North Sumatra is a province of Indonesia on the Sumatra island. Its capital is Medan. It is the most populous Indonesian province outside of Java. It is slightly larger than Sri Lanka in area.- Geography and population :...
. However, after a year he left for Batavia
Jakarta
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...
, where he worked at a bank. When World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out and the Japanese occupied Indonesia
Japanese Occupation of Indonesia
The Japanese Empire occupied Indonesia, known then as the Dutch East Indies, during World War II from March 1942 until after the end of War in 1945...
in 1942, Lubis began working for the Japanese, translating international news for the Japanese army.
After Indonesia declared its independence in 1945, Lubis joined the Indonesian news agency Antara as a reporter. With Antara, he covered the Asian Relations Conference
Asian Relations Conference
The Asian Relations Conference took place in New Delhi in March-April 1947. It was hosted by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who then headed a provisional government that was preparing for India's Independence, which came on 15 August 1947...
in 1947. During this same period he wrote Jalan Tak Ada Ujung and joined the Indonesian Visual Artists Association.
In 1949, Lubis cofounded Indonesia Raya
Indonesia Raya (newspaper)
Indonesia Raya was an Indonesian newspaper co-founded in 1949 by Mochtar Lubis. Before its permanent closure in 1974, it was banned numerous times by both the Sukarno and Suharto governments.-History:...
, later serving as the daily's chief editor. His work with Indonesia Raya led to him being imprisoned numerous times for his critical writing, including in Madiun
Madiun
Madiun is a city in the western part of the province of East Java Indonesia, an agricultural centre. It is the capital of the regency of the same name....
, East Java
East Java
East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and islands to its east and to its north East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and...
, from 1957 - 1966.
On 4 February 1975, Lubis was arrested in relation to the 1974 riots during the visit of 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...
ese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka
Kakuei Tanaka
was a Japanese politician and the 64th and 65th Prime Minister of Japan from 7 July 1972 to 22 December 1972 and from 22 December 1972 to 9 December 1974 respectively...
; Indonesia Raya was also shut down not long after the riots due to their reporting of the Pertamina
Pertamina
Pertamina is an Indonesian government-owned corporation which extracts and refines the country's oil and gas reserves. It was created in August 1968 by the merger of Pertamin and Permina...
corruption scandal. Lubis spent over two months in Nirbaya prison without trial and was released on 14 April 1975. He noted that other prisoners, such as former Indonesian Air Force
Indonesian Air Force
The Indonesian Air Force is the air force branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces.The Indonesian Air Force has 34,930 personnel equipped with 110 combat aircraft including Su-27 and Su-30.-Before Indonesian independence :...
chief Omar Dani, had been imprisoned without trial for years.
Lubis founded and co-founded numerous magazines and foundations, including the Obor Indonesia Foundation in 1970, Horison magazine, and the Indonesian Green Foundation. Lubis was also outspoken about the need for freedom of the press
Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
in Indonesia and gained a reputation as an honest, no-nonsense reporter.
After a long struggle against Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
Lubis died in Medistra Hospital on 2 July 2004 at age 82. He was buried with next to his wife in Jeruk Purut Cemetery
Jeruk Purut Cemetery
-Layout:Jeruk Purut covers a total area of . It is located in South Jakarta.Along with Kalibata Heroes Cemetery and Karet Bivak and Menteng Pulo public cemeteries, Jeruk Purut is one of the better maintained cemeteries in Jakarta.-History:...
. His funeral was attended by hundreds, including journalists and writers 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...
, Aristiddes Katoppo and Ramadhan KH.
Personal life
Lubis was married to Siti Halimah, who died in 2001. Together they had three children, who produced eight grandchildren. During his time as a widower, Lubis said that he could never love another woman.Lubis was an avid practitioner of yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
, which he started practicing in prison.
Legacy
In 1958, Lubis shared the Ramon Magsaysay AwardRamon Magsaysay Award
The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in government, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is often considered Asia's Nobel...
for Journalism, Literature, and the Creative Communication Arts with Robert Dick.
Lubis's novel Harimau! Harimau! was named Best Book by Yayasan Buku Utama, a part of the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture, in 1975, and an award from Yayasan Jaya Raya in 1979.
Lubis has been described as a "renaissance man par excellence" and a "press freedom champion". Numerous publications have been written describing him and his works.
Novels
| Year | Title | Title in English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Tidak Ada Esok | There is No Tomorrow | |
| 1952 | Jalan Tak Ada Ujung Jalan Tak Ada Ujung Jalan Tak Ada Ujung is an Indonesian novel by Mochtar Lubis first published by Balai Pustaka in 1952. It takes place during the Indonesian war of independence and tells the story of Guru Isa, a schoolteacher who assists the guerrilla freedom fighters yet lives in fear. It has been considered... |
The Never-ending Road | Received an award from the Badan Musyawarah Kebudayaan Nasional |
| 1963 | Senja di Jakarta Senja di Jakarta Senja di Jakarta is an Indonesian novel written by Mochtar Lubis and first published in English by Hutchinson & Co. in 1963, with a translation by Claire Holt. It was later published in Indonesian in 1970.-Writing:... |
Twilight in Jakarta | Originally published in English; published in Malay in 1964. |
| 1966 | Tanah Gersang | Barren Land | |
| 1975 | Harimau! Harimau! Harimau! Harimau! Harimau! Harimau! is an Indonesian novel written by Mochtar Lubis and originally published in 1975. Written in a Madiun prison as a response to Indonesians following President Sukarno's leadership without question, it tells the story of seven dammar collectors who are attacked by a tiger on their... |
Tiger! Tiger! | Nominated best book of the year by Yayasan Buku Utama. |
| 1971 | Maut dan Cinta | Death and Love | Received an award from Yayasan Jaya Raya. |
Short story collections
| Year | Title | Title in English |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Si Jamal | The Beauty |
| 1956 | Perempuan | Women |