Today's History, October 31, 1958: Invitation From Vice President Mohammad Hatta To Indonesian People To Protect Environment

Vice President Mohammad Hatta. (Perpusnas)

JAKARTA - Today's history, 64 years ago, on October 31, 1958, Mohammad Hatta gave a lecture at an event entitled Islam and Community Development. The celebration was organized by the Contact Agency for Islamic Organizations at the Sports Building, Jakarta.

Mr. Hatta opened his lecture by discussing the greatness of God Almighty. He said that God created the heavens and the earth not for one generation only. More than that, God created it for each generation throughout the ages. Therefore, humans have a duty to take care of it.

Mr. Hatta is a figure who is close to Islam. In fact, the closeness of Hatta and Islam has been established since Hatta was a little kid. His grandfather, Shaykh Abdurrahman who was a scholar, was behind it. His grandfather taught Hatta a lot about Islam. From worship to behavior.

There is no day without studying religion. His education in formal schools did not affect Hatta's study of religion. Both – learning formal education and religion – can be studied by Hatta in one moment. Hatta's orders and practices of Islamic life were well taken care of when he studied at Batavia, then the Netherlands.

Bung Hatta is known as a book lover. (National Library)

Mr. Hatta did not want to be involved in worldly pleasures, especially those who violated religious orders. His life is 'straight' in the land of the people. He gets along properly. Even closeness to Islam that made him called to break the chain of colonialism in the archipelago.

Because colonialism and imperialism are at worst despicable acts. Hatta also fought against colonialism. The struggle was not in vain. Thanks to the collective work of Hatta and all the Bumiputras, Indonesia became independent on August 17, 1945.

"And as you would follow in Hatta's next life path, Hatta really showed his interest in Islamic worship, morals, and Islamic ethics, including when he studied in the Netherlands. It's not that he doesn't hang out with European girls, but that he does it within the limits acceptable to Islamic teachings. His friends and acquaintances once said that he was just like a priest. after leading in the national movement, also later as an official in the independent state of Indonesia.”

"He really maintains this moral. Even just dancing lenso he did not participate. So different from Soekarno, for example, who still danced Lenso when he visited the Maluku area, Hatta did not participate in this joint dance. People in Maluku are also aware of this, so in general, when Hatta comes to this area, the people present wait for Hatta to leave the meeting first, then start the lenso dance," said Deliah Noer in the book Mohammad Hatta: Hati Nurani Bangsa (2012).

Hatta continued to share Islamic values ​​since he became Vice President, even until he was no longer in office. He is also happy to share the practice of Islamic life in every moment. At the event entitled Islam and Community Development in Jakarta on October 31, 1958, for example.

Bung Hatta discussed with several officials of the Republic of Indonesia in his time. (National Library)

The event, which was organized by the Contact Agency for Islamic Organizations, asked Mr. Hatta to give a lecture. Hatta also opened his lecture brilliantly. His rhetoric boomed. Hatta invites all Indonesian people to protect the environment from greedy and evil hands. The environment belongs to all Indonesians, not just a few.

"This earth was made by God to help humans, (so) not only some who enjoy this world, some are hungry, that's not allowed. God owns this world. the authorities (should) prevent the existence of organizations that are monopolistic in nature which harm the national economy according to the regulations stipulated by law," said Hatta in his speech as quoted by Anwar Abbas in Bung Hatta dan Ekonomi Islam (2010).