User:The man from Gianyar/Harmoko

Harmoko
Portrait of Harmoko, c. 1993
12th Speaker of the People's Representative Council
In office 1 October 1997 – 30 September 1999
Preceded by	Wahono
Succeeded by	Akbar Tandjung
9th Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly
In office 1 October 1997 – 30 September 1999
Preceded by	Wahono
Succeeded by	Amien Rais
6th Chairman of Golkar
In office 24 October 1993 – 11 July 1998
Preceded by	Wahono
Succeeded by	Akbar Tandjung
Minister of Information
In office 19 March 1983 – 16 March 1997
Preceded by	Ali Murtopo
Succeeded by	R. Hartono
Personal details
Born	Harun Mohamad Kohar (1939-02-07)7 February 1939 Kertosono, Kediri, East Java, Dutch East Indies
Died	4 July 2021(2021-07-04) (aged 82) Jakarta, Indonesia
Cause of death	COVID-19
Resting place	Kalibata Heroes Cemetery
Nationality	Indonesian
Political party	Golkar
Spouse	Sri Romadhiyati ​ (m. 1972)​
Parents	Asmoprawiro (father) Soeriptinah (mother)
Occupation	Journalist politician

Harun Mohamad Kohar (7 February 1939 – 4 July 2021), more commonly referred to as Harmoko, though also colloquially referred to as Bung Harmoko, was an Indonesian politician and journalist who was active during the New Order era. He served as the Speaker of the People's Representative Council from 1997 until 1999, and was a factor in president Suharto's resignation during the widespread student demonstrations which occurred at the end of the New Order.

Born from humble origins in East Java, on 7 February 1939, Harmoko graduated from journalistic school, and became a journalist. He was active during the Guided Democracy and New Order regimes, working in a number of different newspapers, including Merdeka, Merdiko, and Harian Mimbar Kita. In 1970, he founded his own newspaper, the Pos Kota (City Post). In 1970, he was elected as the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) branch in Jakarta, and two years later, he was elected as the General Chairperson of the entire PWI.

In 1977, Harmoko was elected a member of the People's Representative Council, as a member of the ruling Golkar organization. In 1983, he was appointed Minister of Information, likely due to his background in journalism. His skill at maintaining the New Order's image and Suharto's appearance led to him being dubbed the 'influencer-in-chief'. In 1993, Harmoko was elected as the Chairman of Golkar, becoming the first civilian to hold the post. In June 1997, he was appointed state minister for special affairs, a post he held for only three months as in October 1997, he was chosen to serve as the Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly and People's Representative Council.

Despite years of loyalty to President Suharto, following widespread student demonstrations calling for a change of government, Harmoko caused great surprise at a press conference by asking the president to step down within five days. Likely due to the fact that he may have been upset by his dismissal as information minister, his dismissal as a possible vice presidential candidate, and his house being burned down by protesters. Suharto saw Harmoko's request as a betrayal, while Tadjus Sobirin, the former chairman of Golkar's Jakarta branch called Harmoko "Brutus" during a leadership meeting of the party, a reference to Roman senator Marcus Junius Brutus, who assassinated his great-uncle Julius Caesar. Harmoko died on 4 July 2021 at the Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital due to COVID-19, and was buried the following day at Kalibata Heroes Cemetery.

Early life and education

Harun Muhammad Kohar, better known as Harmoko, was born in Patianrowo Village, Nganjuk Regency, East Java, Dutch East Indies, on 7 February 1939. He was the third child of ten children. Harmoko was raised by both of his parents, his mother, Soeriptinah, and his father, Asmoprawiro. He began his education at the People's School (the equivalent of primary school today), before pursuing further education to the Junior High School (SMP), and High School (SMA). Harmoko eventually became actively involved in the Surakarta Cultural Association, and attended journalism education there. He took part in the VII Regular Program at the National Resilience Institute. He continued his journalistic endeavors, and attended a journalistic school in Jakarta.

Journalism career

Harmoko, date unknown

After graduating from Journalistic school in Jakarta, he worked as a journalist and cartoonist at the Harian Merdeka (Merdeka Daily) newspaper, until 1962, when he left to work for the Berita Merdeka (Merdeka Magazine). In 1964, he left Berita Merdeka, and went to work at the Harian Angkatan Bersenjata (Armed Forces Daily). He continued his journalistic career at the API Daily in 1965, before serving as the editor-in-chief of the Javanese-language magazine, Merdiko. In the following year, he became the head of the Harian Mimbar Kita newspaper.

In 1970, he, together with some friends, founded the his own newspaper, the Pos Kota (City Post). The post was designed as a daily paper, with a people's perspective, which was to report the events experienced by the "little people". The venture was highly risky, as the "little people" (the target audience of the paper), had little purchasing power. However, the business proved successful, and Harmoko made a considerable sum from the paper. The contents of Pos Kota discussed the various aspects of people's lives in the capital city of Jakarta, from politics, social affairs, and crime. Another distinctive feature of the Pos Kota was the appendix, which contained pictures of urban life which were presented in the form of cartoons, which conveyed Harmoko's social criticisms of people's daily lives. He was also responsible for the creation of the Terbit newspaper.

His paper's success made him a figure within the Indonesian press. In 1970, he was elected as the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) branch in Jakarta. He served as the chair of the branch from 1970 until 1972, when he was elected as General Chairperson of the Central PWI in 1973. He served as General Chairperson of the PWI from 1973 until 1983, becoming the longest serving chairperson of the PWI.

Political career

Cabinet minister

In 1977, Harmoko was elected a member of the People's Representative Council (DPR), as a member of the ruling Golkar organization. He continued his career in DPR, eventually becoming the Chairman of the Golkar Central Executive Board (DPP). As chairman of the Golkar DPP, Harmoko succeeded in influencing the public during the 1982 elections, through the Safari Ramadhan program.

In 1983, he was appointed Minister of Information, likely due to his background in journalism.

Downfall of Suharto

Main article: Fall of Suharto

Legacy

Honors

National honors

Indonesia:

• Star of Mahaputera, 2nd Class (Indonesian: Bintang Mahaputera Adipradana)
• Star of the Republic of Indonesia Main (Indonesian: Bintang Republik Indonesia Utama)

Foreign honors

Malaysia:

• Honorary Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (P.S.M.)

References

Bibliography

• UIN Sunan Ampel (2016). Harmoko pendiri pondok modern Al Barokah Nganjuk tahun 1992-1994 M [Harmoko, founder of the modern cottage Al Barokah Nganjuk in 1992-1994 AD] (PDF) (in Indonesian). UIN Sunan Ampel. Retrieved 12 November 2021.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: url-status (link)
• Gayatri, Sri Indera (2009). Sejarah pemikiran Indonesia: (lanjutan) 1967-1998. III [History of Indonesian thought: (continued) 1967-1998. III] (PDF) (Book) (in Indonesian). Ministry of Education and Culture. pp. 166–172. Retrieved 12 November 2021.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: url-status (link)
• Secretariat General of the DPR (1999), Profil Ketua-ketua DPR RI sejak tahun 1945 s/d Agustus 1999 [Profiles of the Speakers of the People's Representative Council of the Republic of Indonesia from 1945 to August 1999] (PDF) (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Secretariat General of the DPR
• Rahmah, Gina Siti; Suwirta; Kamsori, Moch Eryk (2016). "Kiprah Sudharmono dalam Sejarah Golongan Karya (1983-1988)". Factum: Jurnal Sejarah dan Pendidikan Sejarah (in Indonesian). 5 (2): 201–219. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
• Salim, Zaid (12 September 2015), "The abuse of verbal culture", The Jakarta Post, retrieved 17 May 2020
• Schwarz, Adam (1999). A Nation in Waiting: Indonesia's Search for Stability (2nd ed.). Allen & Unwin. ISBN 9781760636913.