Bung Hatta Insists On Sending Pijit Workers To Bung Karno In Today's History, June 15, 1970

Mohammad Hatta or Bung Hatta during a visit to the Netherlands. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA History today, 53 years ago, June 15, 1970, former Vice President, Mohammad Hatta insisted on sending a massager to Bung Karno who had been detained by the New Order (Orba) house. He expressed this desire in a letter to President Suharto.

Previously, Bung Karno also became the throne from the presidency and was not doing well. He was instead placed under house arrest by Suharto. he received less humane treatment so that his illness got worse.

Suharto's presence in Indonesia's political map is full of dynamics. He was able to take advantage of his power in crushing the September 30th Movement (G30S). Then, he was able to force President Soekarno to sign a March 11 Agreement Letter (Supersemar).

The letter gave Lieutenant General Suharto full authority to maintain national order. Suharto did not waste the opportunity. He was able to use the power for many things. Mainly, beating back all Bung Karno loyalists.

Dewi Fortuna also sided with Suharto. He was able to remove Bung Karno from the presidency and replace him. Suharto immediately stepped on the gas. He did not want his leadership in the shadow of Soekarno.

Suharto played a strategy. Bung Karno's role was reduced in the nation's history. Bung Karno himself was immediately placed under house arrest. Suharto and the New Order also treated Bung Karno arbitrarily.

Bung Karno was not allowed to meet many people. His guests were selected. Even that attitude got worse with the influence of the New Order on limiting health services to Bung Karno. Even though Bung Karno's health condition is getting worse day by day.

March 1967 Suharto was appointed president official. Soekarno had to leave the Merdeka Palace and move to Bogor. Actually, for a long time he has been treated as a house prisoner. The start of September 1967, Soekarno had toothaches. Because in Bogor there were no treatment equipment, he had to come to the dentist. However, it was done with extra tight security.

At 09.00 Soekarno arrived. Previously, Doctor Oei's car had been removed from the garage, replaced by Soekarno's car into the garage and the garage door was closed. Sukarno, who is still the president, entered the dentist's house through the garage. This is exactly like someone entered a friend's room in Jakarta," explained Asvi Warman Adam in the book Bung Karno Killed Three Times (2010).

At first Bung Karno was placed in Batu Tulis, Bogor. Later, he was transferred to Wisma Yasoo. His wife's house, Ratna Sari Dewi. The move did not necessarily bring many changes to Bung Karno's service.

The former Indonesian number one often feels lonely. Moreover, the handling of the illness he suffered did not go optimal. Like it or not, Bung Karno's health condition got worse. The news of Bung Karno's deteriorating health while being under house arrest has surfaced everywhere. However, no one dared to protest except his best friend, Bung Hatta.

Hatta often asked Suharto to pay great attention to Bung Karno's health. He did not want Bung Karno's life to end because he did not get maximum service. As a form of concern, he asked Suharto to give permission to the massager his choice to come to help heal Bung Karno.

However, the permit was not granted. Even Hatta still insisted by writing a letter asking Suharto to give permission for his flagship massager to handle Bung Karno on June 15, 1970. Bung Hatta did not want Bung Karno's followers to view the New Order as deliberately killing Bung Karno. However, the results were the same. Permission was not granted.

Bung Hatta is also concerned about the very bad treatment of Bung Karno. When Bung Karno's disease was severe, he needed the help of a PIit maker he knew. This request is not permitted.

Therefore, on June 15, 1970 Bung Hatta wrote a letter to President General Socharto asking to allow the massager in question to help Bung Karno. Bung Hatta explained that he had also been massaged by the expert's massager and the results were good," said Bung Karno's former aide, Maulwi Saelan in the book From Revolution 45 to Coup 66 (2008).