The Poor Of Batavia Harvest Blessings From The Chinese Captain Phoa Beng Gan

Kanal Molenvliet zaman dulu (Sumber: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The Chinese captain Phoa Beng Gan played a major role in building the city of Batavia. His service to the Dutch corporation, the VOC, was immense: from the mouthpiece of the ethnic Chinese to the beautification of Batavia. As an irrigation expert, he became the savior of the VOC from disease outbreaks and floods. The Molenvliet Canal (Gajah Mada-Hayam Wuruk road) that divides the Ciliwung river is his masterpiece.

Its success invites praise. His character is famous. But Phoa Beng Gan is not big-headed. Instead, he dedicates his whole life to sharing with others. Much of his wealth is used to help the poor. He even built the First Chinese Hospital in Batavia. Phoa Bang Gan wants the poor to have access to health.

The image of the Chinese captain who is good at business does not seem to be the personality of Phoa Beng Gan. He is a Chinese Captain who is known as an irrigation expert. That background set him apart from his predecessor Souw Beng Kong, who was wealthy and skilled in trade. Moreover, Souw Beng Kong is known to be close friends with the founder of Batavia, Jan Pieterszoon Coen. However, the big name Souw Beng Kong did not discourage Pho Beng Gan.

During his tenure as Captain of China, Phoa Beng Gan, who was given the position to manage the affairs of the Chinese, worked optimally. He is able to take care of all the administrative needs of the population and the collection of taxes for the government. Moreover, Phoa Beng Gan often challenges himself to do great things.

He wanted to add to the existing canals in Batavia in 1948. The addition of the canals was to divide the flow of the Ciliwung River from East to West. With this engineering, Phoa Beng Gan predicts that the addition of a canal for Batavia can prevent flooding and endemic diseases. One of the canals he made lasting is known as the Molenvliet Canal.

The old Molenvliet canal (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

“After discussing it in Kongkoan meetings (meetings), it was finally decided that a canal or canal should be built that will drain water into the sea. Phoa Beng Gan immediately conducted a survey and made a situation map, drawings, and plans. Of course, to dig the canal, which is planned to start from Harmoni to the sea dividing the Molenvliet area (now Jalan Hayam Wuruk and Jalan Gajah Mada) requires enormous costs and energy,” said Benny G.

Phoa Beng Gan then tried to deal with the large funds spent on his project. He understands that the VOC is capital efficient. Phoa Beng Gan immediately acted to spearhead a meeting with the Chinese Council for deliberation.

The meeting resulted in an agreement that the costs were borne by the people of Batavia themselves. The collection system is carried out in mutual cooperation. The fundraising process went smoothly. All residents of Batavia at that time realized the great benefits of the construction of additional canals.

The Chinese Council then issued an announcement and collectively some money could also be collected for the cost of constructing the river. Getting encouragement from the community, Kapitan China Phoa Beng Gam immediately began working on excavations that time.

“Previously, Phoa Beng Gam had informed the Governor General of the VOC, Jan Pieterszoon Coen. Of course, the government of Phoa Beng Gam gets some money for emptying and building canals which will later become waterways, so that the swamps can be made dry," wrote Phoa increasingly Sioe in the book Chinese Malay Literature and Indonesian Nationality Volume 10 (2000).

Molenvliet's Blessing

Phoa Beng Gan's work on adding to the channel was a resounding success. He began his work in January 1648 and finished that year. The people of Batavia began to feel the benefits.

In the rainy season the waterways do not recede. The flood had not touched the city of Batavia for some time. The most interesting thing is that the canal, named Molenvliet, helped to facilitate the transportation of forest products, as well as accelerated the development of the city of Batavia.

VOC officials also expressed their admiration for Phoa Beng Gan's hard work. Several prizes were awarded for his services. One of the most memorable gifts was a plot of land in Tanah Abang.

The land was immediately used by Phoa Beng Gam to plant sugar cane. After that, Phao Beng Gan got many infrastructure construction projects belonging to the VOC.

A series of businesses and projects undertaken by Phoa Beng Gan did not make him big head. Phoa Beng Gan doesn't forget to donate some of his sustenance to those who don't have it. The distribution of sustenance is even more swift when entering the Chinese New Year's Day, Chinese New Year.

The old Molenvliet canal (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Generosity

He often donates his coffers of income to pacinan temples in the Pacinan area. Even for the marginalized residents belonging to the poor. These efforts made him known as a philanthropist who was respected throughout Batavia.

His generosity has even been raised long ago, even long before the Molenvliet canal was created. The high mortality rate in Batavia due to endemic diseases – malaria and cholera – made Phoa Beng Gan called to build a hospital in 1640. Phoa Beng Gan realized that the victims of the disease were those who did not have it.

“We know that in 1640, the Chinese community in Batavia had their own hospital. And thanks to various kinds of wealth, the hospital lasted until the 18th century, "said Denys Lombard in the book Nusa Java Cross Culture Volume 2 (2005).

Phoa Beng Gan then moved to initiate the construction of the first Chinese Hospital in Batavia. All Chinese people who agree with Phoa Beng Gan helped with the development. They worked together to build a hospital which was named Yangju Yuan. In Indonesian, it means a hospital for the poor. In fact, the hospital had much more complete facilities than the Dutch hospital.

“So, Kapitan Phoa plans to build a public hospital located in an area adjacent to China Town. This Chinese hospital is very complete, even better than the hospital built by the Dutch. The Dutch-owned hospital was then occupied in 1820 by the Javasche Bank, a bank owned by the Dutch East Indies government which became the forerunner of Bank Indonesia in 1953," closed Alwi Shahab in his book Batavia City of Ghosts (2010).

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