The Story Of Bung Hatta Having Difficulty Paying Electricity Bills

Bung Hatta's activities when he was Vice President of Indonesia from 1945 to 1956. (ANRI)

JAKARTA - Mohammad Hatta is an inspiring figure. There is no honesty and simplicity. He never took anything that was not his right. Even he is willing to live hard to maintain his honesty.

Bung Hatta's simple footsteps were then stated throughout his life journey. Especially after he did not serve as Vice President of Indonesia. He did not carry out his retirement days with a flood of wealth. Bung Hatta actually lived a long life. He had difficulty paying electricity bills.

Bung Hatta was born from a rich family line in Minang land. Every day, Bung Hatta's every wish is often obeyed. However, the family's wealth did not make Hatta big head. Instead of just taking advantage of his family's wealth, Hatta prefers to live a simple life.

Instead, he devoted himself to the struggle to achieve Indonesia's independence. It's time to spend a lot to learn and discuss. There is no place for spree in the style of elites to have. He perpetuated this simplicity from being a student in Batavia (now: Jakarta) to students in the Netherlands.

Just live a straight life. He was reluctant to worship excessive pleasure. He did not want to use money that was not his right. The only thing Hatta thought about was the way the natives escaped the shackles of colonialism.

Hatta's struggle and all the freedom fighters were persecuted. Indonesia is independent and Hatta is then known as the Vice President of Indonesia to accompany Soekarno. However, Hatta's life did not change much.

His personal secretary, Iding Wangsa Widjaja, agrees with Hatta's simple life as Indonesia's number two person. All kinds of excess money during his tenure were often returned to the state. Because, Hatta felt that the remaining money was not his right.

Every month there is always the remaining money for the routine budget for the household costs of the Vice President of Indonesia. He always returns the money to the state treasury. This highly respected figure also refused to give money. One day, Bung Hatta accepted an invitation to head out to Banda Neira, where he and the fighters were exiled during the colonial period.

"This activity was organized by the government, and therefore the travel and lodging costs were borne by the government. However, at that time, apparently there was an "initiative" from the local leadership. A governor protocol officer came to meet Bung Hatta and handed over an envelope. What letter is this?" asked Bung Hatta. The protocol officer replied, "This is not a letter, but money for Mr. Bung Hatta refused to give the money, because the cost of travel and lodging has been borne by the state," said Yudi Latif in the book Mata Air Ketadanan: Pancasila in Action (2014).

Hatta's simple life continued to survive. In fact, until Hatta resigned from his position as Vice President of Indonesia due to different visions. The resignation is proof that Hatta is a person who is not crazy about his position.

Hatta also left the official residence of the Vice President of Indonesia. He then occupied his old house on Jalan Diponegoro 57, Menteng, Central Jakarta. There Hatta and his family lived in simplicity. He contradicts the lives of most of his general state officials who actually enjoy wealth in retirement.

Boro-boro enjoys wealth, Hatta lives on a daily basis. He only relies on his small pension money to support his family. In fact, the money is not enough to cover the cost of daily life.

In fact, his pension is not enough to pay all of Hatta's bills. Mainly, electricity bills. As an invitation to pay bills, Hatta was forced to seek additional income from his activities of teaching as a guest lecturer and writing in the mass media.

He lived this tough condition with joy. Hatta didn't complain at all. Even though he was still struggling when it was time to pay the electricity bill. However, everything changed when it was difficult for Hatta's life to reach the vicinity by Ali Sadikin.

The Governor of DKI Jakarta 1966-1977 was touched by the simplicity of Hatta's life. He also moved to help Hatta. All because of Hatta's great service for the nation and state. After all, the state will be disobedient if it lets its national figures live in trouble. All kinds of bills that burden Hatta are directly borne by the DKI Jakarta government.

"He found it difficult to pay the Regional Rehabilitation Company (PAM) and the Regional Rehabilitation Contribution (Ireda). So simple is the life of our leader. I don't know exactly how much pension he received at that time. But with this news that reached me, I was touched to hear it. I immediately looked for reason, looking for what path I could do to help him.. "

"So after we determined that Bung Hatta had become the main citizen of the city of Jakarta, I discussed the problem he faced with the guarantee that Bung Hatta had become a resident of the main city, I proposed to the DPRD that he be given facilities, namely water facilities (PAM) and Ireda, meaning that he himself did not have to pay both of these things, free from the obligation to pay for them. The DPRD approved, "said Ali Sadikin as written by Ramadhan KH in the book Bang Ali: For the sake of Jakarta 1966-1977 (1992).