Meutia Hatta's Birthday In History Today, March 21, 1947

Meutia Hatta, Bung Hatta's first child, known as the Minister of State for Women's Empowerment, Indonesia (2004-2009). (Between)

JAKARTA History today, 76 years ago, March 21, 1947, the first child of the couple Mohammad Hatta and Rahmi Rachim (Yuke) was born in Yogyakarta. Both gave their daughter Meutia Farida (Meutia Hatta). The name is a combination of proposals from Hatta's family and colleagues.

Hatta was happy not to play. Even though he could not stay long for his son because the state needed him. Previously, Hatta and all Indonesian officials chose to move to Yogyakarta. Everything is because the condition of Jakarta as the capital city is not safe.

It is possible that the spirit of the proclamation of Indonesian independence has spread throughout the country. All Indonesian people greeted him with great fanfare. However, not for the Dutch colonialists under the banner of the Dutch East Indies Civil Government (NICA).

NICA's desire to control Indonesia has re-emerged. The Indonesian government is underestimated. This is because Indonesia is the age of Indonesia as a new country as long as corn. Especially in military affairs. Indonesia is completely underprivileged.

This condition makes NICA terror rampant. NICA disturbs order and security in the capital city of Jakarta. The people were disturbed, especially the officials. In fact, Bung Karno and Sutan Sjahrir were once targets of murder.

This uncertain condition made the owner of power take a stand. The Indonesian government chose to temporarily move to other cities that were safer. Yogyakarta is an option. The city is considered quite representative to run the wheels of Indonesian government. Therefore, most of the nation's leaders secretly moved to Yogyakarta. Bung Hatta, especially.

"Regarding Jakarta, it is starting to get unsafe, on January 4, 1946 the President and Vice President with their families and staff moved to Yogyakarta, which for the time being became the capital city of the Republic of Indonesia. After that each department in a row joined the hijrah.."

"Initially my family and I stayed at Paku Alam, while waiting for the completion of the house that was prepared for us on Jalan Rekobayan. After about a week we moved to the house that was intended for us," explained Bung Hatta in his book Mohammad Hatta: Memoir (1979).

Life conditions in Yogyakarta and are limited. Instead of the leader of the country living a luxurious life, regarding the salaries of officials, the government is struggling. However, this did not stop the courage of the Indonesian leader from fighting. Bung Hatta, let alone. He continues to perpetuate the narrative of the resistance against NICA.

Bung Hatta's spirit was never slack. Moreover, he was then given a very valuable deposit from God. His first child was born in the midst of the crisis of the Revolutionary War on March 21, 1947. Hatta gave his son Meutia Farida's name.

A child who later grew up to become a devoted person to the nation and state. Meutia was also known as one of the state officials in the era of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. He served as Minister of State for Women's Empowerment in Indonesia from 2004 to 2009.

Hatta's wife gave birth to her first child in Yogya on March 21, 1947, hours after Sarwono Prawirohardjo, an obstetrician, at my request arrived by train from Jakarta. The name given to the baby girl Meutia Farida.

The name Meutia was proposed by her grandmother who came from Aceh, while it was my Farida who proposed it, because her birthday coincided with the arrival of the first Egyptian Ambassador to Indonesia, and the Egyptian Queen King Farouk was a beautiful daughter named Farida," said Soekarno and Hatta's personal doctor, R. Suharto in the book Historical Witness (1988).