Mochtar Lubis | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Lubis in 1979 | |
| Born | (1922-03-07)7 March 1922 |
| Died | 2 July 2004(2004-07-02) (aged 82) Jakarta, Indonesia |
| Citizenship | Indonesian |
| Awards |
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Mochtar Lubis ([moxˈtarluˈbɪs]; 7 March 1922 – 2 July 2004) was an Indonesian journalist and novelist who co-foundedIndonesia Raya and monthly literary magazineHorison. His novelSenja di Jakarta (Twilight in Jakarta in English) was the firstIndonesian novel to be translated into English. He was a critic ofSukarno and was imprisoned by him, as well as bySuharto on several later occasions. He held strong anti-leftist views and was seen by critics as aligned withIndonesian National Armed Forces and pro-U.S forces that were opposed to Sukarno’snon-aligned policies, a charge that he himself denied.[1]
Mochtar Lubis was born on 7 March 1922 inSungai Penuh,Kerinci Regency, onSumatra, to Raja Pandapotan Lubis, a high-ranking civil servant, and his wife.[2] He was the sixth child of twelve.[3]
As a child, he wrotechildren's stories which were published inSinar Deli, aMedan-based newspaper.[2] When he was an adolescent, he often trekked into the jungles ofSumatra. He 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 forHarimau! Harimau! (Tiger!, Tiger!)[4]
After graduating from high school, he worked as a teacher inNias,North Sumatra. However, after a year he left forBatavia, where he worked at a bank. WhenWorld War II broke out and theJapanese occupied Indonesia in 1942, Lubis began working for the Japanese, translating international news for theJapanese army.[2]
AfterIndonesia declared its independence in 1945, Lubis joined the Indonesian news agencyAntara as a reporter.[5] WithAntara, he covered theAsian Relations Conference in 1947. During this same period he wroteJalan Tak Ada Ujung (The Road Has no End) and joined the Indonesian Visual Artists Association.[2]
In 1949, he cofoundedIndonesia Raya, later serving as the daily'schief editor. His work there led to him being imprisoned numerous times for his critical writing, including inMadiun,East Java, from 1957 to 1966.[5] In 1955, while he was editor there, he hosted theAfrican American authorRichard Wright during his three weeks in Indonesia to attend theBandung Conference.Indonesia Raya published several articles related to Wright during April and May 1955.[6]
On 4 February 1975, he was arrested in relation to the1974 riots during the visit of Japanese Prime MinisterKakuei Tanaka;[7]Indonesia Raya was also shut down not long after the riots due to their reporting of thePertamina corruption scandal.[5] He spent over two months inNirbaya prison without trial and was released on 14 April 1975. He noted that other prisoners, such as formerIndonesian Air Force chiefOmar Dani, had been imprisoned without trial for years.[7] During his time there, he became an avid practitioner ofyoga.[8]
He founded and co-founded numerous magazines and foundations, including the Obor Indonesia Foundation in 1970,[2]Horison magazine, and the Indonesian Green Foundation.[3] He was also outspoken about the need forfreedom of the press in Indonesia[5] and gained a reputation as an honest, no-nonsense reporter.[2] In 1996, due to his anti-leftist stances, he returned theMagsaysay Award in protest when leftist authorPramoedya Ananta Toer received it. In 2000, he was named as one of theInternational Press Institute's 50World Press Freedom Heroes of the past 50 years.[9]
After a long struggle againstAlzheimer's disease he died inMedistra Hospital [id] on 2 July 2004 at age 82.[8] He was buried next to his wife inJeruk Purut Cemetery.[7] His funeral was attended by hundreds, including journalists and writersRosihan Anwar andRamadhan K.H. [id].[8]
He was married to Siti Halimah, who died in 2001. Together they had three children, who produced eight grandchildren.
In 1958, Lubis shared theRamon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature, and the Creative Communication Arts with Robert Dick, a publisher.[10]
Lubis's novelHarimau! Harimau! was named Best Book by Yayasan Buku Utama, a part of theIndonesian Ministry of Education and Culture, in 1975,[11] and received an award from Yayasan Jaya Raya (parent organization of the publisherPustaka Jaya [id]) in 1979.[12]
| Year | Title | Title in English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Tidak Ada Esok[13] | There is No Tomorrow | |
| 1952 | Jalan Tak Ada Ujung | The Never-ending Road | Received an award from the Badan Musyawarah Kebudayaan Nasional[13] |
| 1963 | Senja di Jakarta | Twilight in Jakarta | Originally published in English; published inMalay in 1964.[13] |
| 1966 | Tanah Gersang | Barren Land | |
| 1975 | Harimau! Harimau! | Tiger! Tiger! | Nominated best book of the year by Yayasan Buku Utama.[13] |
| 1977 | Maut dan Cinta | Death and Love | Received an award from Yayasan Jaya Raya.[13] |
| Year | Title | Title in English |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Si Jamal[13] | The Beauty |
| 1956 | Perempuan[13] | Women |
