JAKARTA - Mohammad Hatta is a true book lover. He likes to read any book. From history to politics. This activity is often done in his spare time. Moreover, Bung Hatta prefers serenity in reading books. Even books always accompany Bung Hatta in his struggle.
Therefore, Bung Hatta's collection of books is huge. He brought 16 chests of books from the Netherlands. His collection of books has grown over time. It is said that during his lifetime, the number of Bung Hatta's book collections was able to beat the National Library.
Bung Hatta's closeness to books is second to none. Every day Hatta often spends time reading books. This activity has even been carried out by Hatta since he was still in Minangkabau Land. Hatta's family, who was rich and open, became the estuary. All of Hatta's needs related to books are always met by his family. For the sake of Hatta's access to quality education, he thought.
His readings later fueled Hatta's spirit to defend the natives. He analyzed good lessons related to the struggle into ideas. An idea that incarnated as a mouthpiece of resistance to Dutch colonialism.
Hatta's passion for reading books continued until he moved to Batavia (1919), then the Netherlands (1921). He felt that by reading books no time was wasted. In fact, Hatta prefers to spend time reading books, rather than having fun.
Books open a lot of horizons for thinking. Even all kinds of knowledge can lead to books. The need for books is increasing day by day. He also always set aside his pocket money to buy books. As a result, Bung Hatta became an intelligent and skilled person in his writing activities.
“He feels the need to be close to his books, because with books he can spend time usefully. In fact, in his exile, including Boven Digoel, he manages his time in his daily life. During certain hours, especially when he was reading, he did not want to be disturbed. As a result, some of his fellow exiles find him arrogant.”
“In this case, many people, including when he was already vice president, and also after leaving this position, were not able to understand it. The person thinks it only takes 10-15 minutes, but if Hatta is forced to stop several times a day for a few minutes – because many people take the opportunity to meet – of course in the end practically he cannot work well, “said Deliar Noer in Mohammad Hatta's book: The Conscience of the Nation (2012).
Have Eight Thousand More Book TitlesIn the Netherlands, Hatta did not just spend time in college. He "donates" a lot of his time in the world of movement. In Indoinesische Vereeniging or the Indonesian Association (PI), for example. The organization became Bung Hatta's mouthpiece to speak for the interests of the Bumiputra.
Access to reading materials is wide open. Moreover, PI is actively holding discussions that culminate in the exchange of reading materials. In addition, Bung Hatta himself was actively hunting for books abroad. The collection is slowly starting to grow. More than 8 thousand titles. This case was proven by the return of Hatta to the Dutch East Indies in 1932. His return brought with him 16 chests of his collection of books.
“The story is around 1932. Bung Hatta had just arrived in Batavia from the Netherlands after sailing from Rotterdam, July 20, 1932. He first met the two brothers Djohan Soetan Soeleman and Djohor Soetan Perpatih at their shop in Pasar Senen, when he was about to pick up books. his book at Tanjungpriok port. Due to the large number of books, 16 iron chests, he was forced to ask for help to transport them in a truck belonging to Djohan Djohor.”
“Bung Hatta called both Djohan and Djohor 'Mak Etek,' which has the same meaning as 'Macik' or 'Oom'. He lives temporarily on Jalan Defensielin van den Bosch, maybe Jalan Bungur Besar now, at the house of Mak Etek Ayub Rais, who also works for Djohan Djohor, specifically dealing with import matters," said P. Swantoro in the book From Book to Book: Connected Connected so One (2002).
Hatta also brought this rich book to his exile in Boven Digoel (1935), then Banda Neira (1936). Alias, in the land of exile, Hatta's mind is still honed by books. Hatta was not stingy knowledge. He also distributed his books in exile.
Readings from books brought Hatta to liberate the Indonesian people. He is also known as the vice president who loves to read books, just like Soekarno. In fact, Bung Hatta's house has quite a collection of books. It is said that Bung Hatta's collection of books is larger than the collection of the National Library.
"In the period after my father resigned as Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, my father had a library room much larger than the one on Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan 13. My father had a librarian who helped him organize books according to his subject, his name was Gustav Apituley, an Ambonese ."
"He did his job well, and more importantly we as a family can have a good relationship with him. We were also introduced to his wife when he got married. It's a shame that Gustav and his family moved to Australia and until now we have never met and heard about him and his family again," recalled Bung Hatta's children – Meutia, Gemala, and Halida – in Bung Hatta's book in the Eyes of His Three Daughters (2015).
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