[OPINION] Reminiscing About A Century Of Mr. Sim

Illustration of TB Simatupang (Raga Granada / VOI)

A few days before turning 65, I interviewed Dr Tahi Bonar Simatupang (TB Simatupang). He is familiarly called Pak Sim.

The results of the interview were published in the evening newspaper Sinar Harapan, where I worked as a young reporter, right on the day of his birth, January 28, 1985.

The interview took place at Pak Sim's residence, on Jl Diponegoro, Central Jakarta. Long interview.

I picked up on his glorious military career, his views on ABRI and of course talking about the fate of the nation in the midst of the raging religious battles at that time.

One of Pak Sim's deepest obsessions is to make Angkatan 45, his generation, able to complete its historical task into a successful liberator generation, and not a failed liberator generation.

I think that dream come true. It is proven that the military never carried out a coup against the government until the transition during the Reformation era. The key word for success, as Pak Sim continues to say, is the formation of doctrines, cadres and institutions within the military.

Pak Sim at a young age, 25 years old, has de facto carried out his duties as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces (KSAP), which was carried by General Sudirman, who had been ill for a long time. Then a few years later, at the age of 29, Pak Sim became the KSAP.

I imagined the extraordinary soul of this son of Sidikalang, Tapanuli. He has been guerrilla in the dense forests of Java Island to defend his country, Indonesia and the integrity of the military that is threatened with fragmentation. This was done when he was in his 20s. He was one of the thinkers of military strategy in the war and revolution at that time, because his general Pak Sudirman lived on a stretcher.

In filling his days after retiring - also at a young age - Pak Sim studied religion.

In today's amazing modern civilization, Pak Sim said in an interview, the life of religions must be able to hold hands and talk to one another. To do this, each religion leaves pre-modern ways of thinking and is not in a position of monopoly or power.

What is the problem of religions, according to Pak Sim?

Religion was born in a pre-modern situation, therefore it is often unable to discuss something relevant in the modern world. Not only the content, the language pattern is also irrelevant in the modern world, he said.

Religions should not come to fix the crisis through power, but through the right actions, he said.

Because, according to him, when religions speak through power, the modern world has more power. As a result, religion will be a prisoner of that power.

Today, the birth of a century is celebrated. The child of God, who became the nation's great thinker, especially regarding Pancasila as an ideology, military and religious life lived in simplicity, very, very, very simple.

Pak Sim's 65th Anniversary, 1985 was the New Order era with joy, great joy because he felt strong and resilient. Political life has become increasingly repressive. Once Pak Sim was prohibited from preaching by the government.

Even Pak Sim's birthday celebration only held small discussions at his residence.

I remember involving only 10 or so "militants". Such as Sabam Sirait (politician), Sabam Siagian, Jacob Utama, Rosihan Anwar, Marcel Beding (all four journalists), Syaidiman (military thinker general), Maroelak Sihombing (activist) and several young people from the Communication Foundation. Most of them have passed away.

Pak Sim was a regular writer every morning and for years until the end of his life, Tajuk Rencana newspaper Sinar Harapan and its successor newspaper Suara Pembaruan.

In that interview 35 years ago, we sat on an old sofa in the old house which is next door to the house of the Vice President Muhammad Hatta. Official home with high ceilings, no air conditioning. Even the car seat on the noisy Diponegoro street often interferes with interviews. At that time, in the military environment and their families very many lived in luxury and abundance.

Thoman Hutasoit Journalist Once the Chief Editor of Press and Media for President Abdurrahman Wahid (Gusdur) at the Presidential Palace