Hoegeng The Honest Policeman, Hoegeng The Poor Official

General Hoegeng Imam Santoso (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Hoegeng Imam Santoso is known not to be easily tempted by wealth. Throughout his career as a police officer, including when he served as national police chief, Hoegeng was reluctant to enrich himself. Especially corruption. For him, the despicable people are those who are corrupt. That upright attitude was maintained until retirement. Let alone abundant wealth. His daily life depends on a pension of Rp. 10,000 per month. As for the valuable property that Hoegeng has, it may just be honesty.

Hoegeng's achievements during his time as the National Police Chief were brilliant. Many big cases have been uncovered. From drug trafficking to car smuggling. This success was the fruit of Hoegeng's straight line as a police officer. He knows no compromise. Nor can it be bribed. The only thing on Hoegeng's mind was to enforce the law indiscriminately. Whoever is guilty must be punished. That straight attitude made Hoegeng have many enemies.

Hoegeng often received death threats. In fact, Hoegeng was almost the target of an attempted assassination when he was the Head of Criminal Investigation Unit for the North Sumatra Provincial Police. He almost became a sniper target. It was also used. The threats when Hoegeng became the National Police Chief were also not small. But Hoegeng was not afraid until his steps as a law enforcer had to end in the hands of President Suharto in 1971.

“His tenacity in solving this big case caused Hoegeng to be dismissed by President Suharto even though his term of office had not actually ended. Previously, Hoegeng also pioneered the use of helmets for motorized vehicle drivers, which at that time became a polemic. Now I feel that the instructions are indeed useful,” said Asvi Warman Adam in the book Revealing the Mysteries of History (2010).

General Hoegeng Imam Santoso (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Hoegeng's dismissal was considered political. Because when Suharto was sacked by Hoegeng, the achievements of the Police were so flashy. The case of smuggling cars on a large scale masterminded by Robby Tjahyadi or Sie Tjie It was successfully solved by Hoegeng. Even Hoegeng himself suspected his removal because he was too straight, aka he could not be compromised.

Moreover, the car smuggling case involved the military and Suharto's wife, Ibu Tien. Instead, Suharto tried to persuade Hoegeng to become the Swedish Ambassador, then Belgium. The offer as ambassador was rejected by Hoegeng. He joked, he was not good at diplomacy. Hoegeng's perspective is already so different if he is forced to become an ambassador. According to him, what he said was white, remained white. It's different with the ambassador. After that Hoegeng prefers to retire early by quitting the position of the National Police Chief.

“For me, Robby's smuggling case has a special meaning that I can't figure out. It is said that as reported by the weekly Tempo, it was rumored that the Robby smuggling case was one of the reasons why I was disliked or fired as the National Police Chief. The logic is that, because I tried to dismantle the case earlier, long before Bakolak, led by Sutopo Juwono, or Bakolak, the counter-smuggling division led by Attorney General Ali Said SH, intervened. But I don't know anything about it,” Hoegeng's story was written by Abrar Yusra and Ramadhan KH in the book Hoegeng: The Ideal Police and Reality (1993).

Hoegeng in retirement

General Hoegeng (Source: National Library)

During his retirement, Hoegeng did not necessarily live in luxury like a high-ranking official who had just amassed a 'fat account'. His daily life has not changed much. He lived a simpler life. At that time Hoegeng's savings were not much. All office facilities given to him were immediately returned to the state. Cars, radios to walkie-talkies.

Hoegeng and his small family live in a small rented house on Jalan Prof. Mohamad Yamin No. 8, Menteng, Central Jakarta. The house was then managed by Hoegeng's replacement Chief of Police, General Moh. Hasan (1971-1974) and the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Ali Sadikin (1966-1977) as gifts for their service to the country.

“Although the position of the National Police Chief was replaced by General Moh. Hasan, Hoegeng's personal relationship with Hasan is very good. This was proven by the gift of a house by Hasan to Hoegeng. The house is a rented house where Hoegeng and his family have lived since living in Jakarta. Hoegeng's rented house was previously processed by the DKI government, which at that time was led by Ali Sadikin in collaboration with the new National Police Chief," Sohartono wrote in the book Hoegeng: Police and Exemplary Ministers (2013).

Hoegeng tries to provide for his family by returning to his career as an artist as well as a musician. Hoegeng actively plays Hawaiian music on Radio Elshinta and TVRI with his band Hawaiian Seniors. His activeness in the world of music made people nicknamed him as The Singing General. Once upon a time Hoegeng was also active as a radio announcer in Elshinta who brought a program called Mas Hoegeng Chat.

Hoegeng when he was part of the Hawaiian Seniors (Source: National Library)

Besides being active on television and radio. Hoegeng was also active in criticizing the New Order (Orba) government. Especially criticism of the behavior of public officials who use office to enrich themselves. Hoegeng's criticism of the New Order grew louder when Hoegeng became part of the Petition 50 group.

Hoegeng did not want Suharto to use Pancasila just to silence his political opponents. The move saw him barred from appearing at public events and television. "Hoegeng, who used to be in the Hawaiian Seniors band, which used to play on TVRI and Radio Elshinta and was popular with the public, because of challenging Petition 50, had to stop broadcasting."

"His words at the end of the broadcast of 'Aloha' were no longer heard. The songs that were sung like Hawaiian Calls, On The Beach of Waikiki, and I'am in The Mood of Love became silent," concluded Rosihan Anwar in the book Small History "Petite Historire” Indonesia Volume 6 (2012).

A series of activities as a musician had added to Hoegeng's coffers of income at the beginning of his retirement. However, when he was active in Petition 50 Hoegeng automatically only relied on living from a small pension.

The additional income Hoegeng obtained through the sale of his paintings. Luckily, Hoegeng's wife and children understand his father's stance. Hoegeng's honesty then inspired his children. They get used to a simple life.

"I don't know how much your salary as the National Police Chief was at that time because we didn't want to find out about it. It's just that one time, after retiring, we found your father's retirement salary receipt as the National Police Chief of Rp. 10 thousand and what he received was only Rp. 7,500. Of course with a number of other benefits,” said Hoegeng's son, Aditya Soetanto Hoegeng in the book Hoegeng: A Cooling Oasis in the Middle of Corrupt Behavior of National Leaders (2009).

*Read other information about HISTORY or read other interesting writings from Yudhistira Mahabharata.

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