Phoa Liong GieSia | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1905 (1905) |
| Died | 1983 (aged 77–78) |
| Education | Meester in de rechten |
| Alma mater | Leiden University |
| Occupations | Politician, jurist, newspaper owner and editor |
| Years active | 1920s-1940s |
| Spouse | Laura Charlotte Ongkiehong |
| Relatives | Phoa Tjeng Tjoan,Kapitein der Chinezen (great-grandfather) Phoa Keng HekSia (great-uncle) Phoa Liong Djin (cousin) |
Phoa Liong Gie Sia (simplified Chinese:潘隆义舍;traditional Chinese:潘隆義舍;pinyin:Pān Lóngyì Shè: born inBandung on June 4, 1905 – died on January 14, 1983, inSwitzerland) was an Indonesian-born Swiss jurist, politician and newspaper owner of the late colonial era in theDutch East Indies.[1][2][3]
He was born in 1905 into a prominent family ofPeranakan Chinese roots, part of theCabang Atas or the Chinese gentry of colonial Indonesia.[3] His great-grandfather, Phoa Tjeng Tjoan, served asKapitein der Chinezen of Buitenzorg (nowBogor) from 1866 until 1878. This was a post in the colonial civil administration with political and legal jurisdiction over the local Chinese community. Phoa was styled'Sia' from birth as the descendant of a Chinese officer. Phoa was also a great-nephew of the prominent community leader and landlord,Phoa Keng HekSia.[2][3]
The younger Phoa was educated at theEuropeesche Lagere School (European lower school) in Garut, and at theHogere Burgerschool (higher civic school) in Batavia. Both institutions admitted only the children of elite Europeans and a small number of select non-Europeans. Phoa subsequently studied at theRechtshoogeschool (law school) in Batavia before continuing his education atLeiden University in theNetherlands. He graduated as aMeester in de rechten (‘Master of Laws’) in 1925.[2][3]
Upon returning to Bandung in 1927, Phoa joined the legal practice of the leading Dutch lawyer C. W. Wormser. A year later in 1928, Phoa moved toBatavia in order to open his own law firm.[2][3]
Following in the footsteps of his great-grandfather and great-uncle, Phoa also went into politics. He was a vocal leader of the younger faction ofChung Hwa Hui (CHH), a centre-right political party seen by many as a mouthpiece of the Chinese establishment in colonial Indonesia.[4]
Phoa came into conflict with some of the policies of the older party leadership, represented by the senior parliamentariansH. H. Kan andLoa Sek Hie. Phoa resented his party leaders’ pro-Dutch sympathies, and advocated Chinese neutrality in the Indonesian struggle for independence. Phoa even indicated his willingness to supportIndonesian nationalism in the right set of circumstances.[5] Following an open conflict in 1934 with H. H. Kan, over the latter's supposed dominance over CHH, Phoa resigned his membership of the party.[4]
He maintained, however, his political involvement. On May 8, 1939, Phoa was appointed by the Dutch authorities to the‘Volksraad’ (the colonial parliament of Indonesia), and took his seat as anindependent member.[4][2][3]
After theSecond World War, between 1946 and 1948, Phoa acted as a legal advisor and delegate of theNetherlands at theEconomic and Social Council of theUnited Nations inNew York andGeneva.[6][7]
Around the time of his move to Batavia in 1928, Phoa also became active in the burgeoning news media and public discourse of colonial Indonesia. In 1930, he acquired a daily newspaper,Perniagaan, whose name he changed toSiang Po.[2][3] This was the beginning of Siang Po Printing Press, which would acquire or create more publications in due course.[8] A year later, in 1931, Phoa's company bought another daily,Panorama, which had been founded by the writer and journalistKwee Tek Hoay.[9]
After Phoa resigned from the CHH in 1934, his newspapers assumed an increasingly sympathetic tone towards the Indonesian nationalist movement.[4][8] The editorial board ofPanorama included such leading nationalists asSanusi Pane,Amir Sjarifuddin andMohammad Yamin, with the prominent journalist,Liem Koen Hian, as chief editor.[8] Liem, as well asSaeroen, also contributed toSiang Po. In mid-1936, Liem, Pane, Sjarifuddin and Yamin founded yet another daily,Kebangoenan, which Siang Po Printing Press likewise printed.[10]
Phoa was also the owner of two further publications, the magazinesSi Pao andKong Hwa Po, the last of which was similarly under Liem's editorial oversight.[2][8]
Phoa was married Laura Charlotte Ongkiehong, daughter of theAmbon-based newspaper owner and magnate,Ong Kie Hong, and granddaughter ofNjio Tek Liem,Luitenant der Chinezen of Ambon ('Lieutenant of the Chinese'). Together with his family, Phoa later moved toSwitzerland, where he spent the remainder of his life.[2][3]
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