Getting To Know The National Hero From Madura, Mohammad Tabrani

Amie Primarni, the heirs of Mohammad Tabrani attended the awarding ceremony for the title of national hero at the State Palace, Jakarta, Friday (10/11/2023). (ANTARA/HO-Pemkab Pamekasan)

JAKARTA - The seeds of courage flowed heavily in the figure of Mohammad Tabrani. His behavior perpetuated the phrase "Indonesian unity" - He and his friends dared to move in to initiate the First Youth Congress. An event to bring together youth from various ethnic groups in Batavia (now: Jakarta).

Tabrani plays a big role. He can transform into anything. Sometimes like a reliable lobbyist. Sometimes like a deftly congressional leader. The initiation was also accepted by all young people. Indonesian is a national language.

Education is a means of release. The narrative was agreed by Mohammad Tabrani Soerjowitjirto. The young man who was born on October 10, 1904, Pamekasan, Madura, was a lucky native. He was able to access adequate education in the Dutch colonial government era.

The opportunity was not wasted by Tabrani. He is not only focused on the classroom of Junior High School, Meer Uitgebreid Lager Onderwijs (MULO) in Surabaya. Because, Tabrani is also involved in the youth movement. Jong Java, his name.

His presence at Jong Java was able to increase his sensitivity to the fate of the deceased Bumiputras. He then got to know many fellow Indonesian freedom fighters. Even political discussions brought them closer.

Tabrani's struggle did not end when he chose to continue his education in Bandung. Alias at Algemeene Middelbare School (AMS) at the high school level in Bandung. The struggle to throw independence ideas continues in the City of Kembang.

This desire is getting stronger because Tabrani lasts a new hobby: writing. At first he actively wrote in the organizational newspaper that he was involved in. Later, his writing was accepted by newspapers in Malay and Dutch.

His busyness in the world of movement must be paid dearly. He did not advance to class and was forced to move to other schools. He decided to continue his education in schools provided for bumiputra who wanted to become a colonial government official at OSVIA.

Tabrani graduated. However, he refused to become a Dutch official. He chose to perpetuate his dream as a journalist in 1925. Hatik was loved by scholars. He also has a big idea. He is often seen that independence ideas are increasingly difficult to perpetuate because various Bumiputra tribes feel they are struggling individually. Since then Tabrani has the initiative to unite all ethnic groups in a celebration. Youth Congress I, his name.

In the field of youth movement, Tabrani started in Jong Java, where while in Batavia, he initiated a plan to hold the First Youth Congress in 1926 with Suwarto and Suwarno (also from Jong Java), Bahder Djohan, Djamaludin (Adinegoro) and Sarbaeni from Jong Sumatranen Bond.

'Jan Toude Soulehuwy from Jong Ambon, Paul Pinontoan from Minahasa Student, Hamami from Sekar Rukun, Sanusi Pane from Jong Batak. As is known, it was this Youth Congress I that gave birth to a pledge: One Blood Spill, but it has not been announced and was only announced at the 1928 Youth Congress II," wrote the Indonesian Press Magazine report (1981).

His involvement in the First Youth Congress is not only as chairman of a mere congress. He was able to transform as anything so that the First Youth Congress could run according to schedule, April 30 to May 2 in 1926. From lobbyists to chairman of the congress.

The strategy was also played. He began lobbying the colonial government to obtain an event permit. Tabrani promised that the Youth Congress I was far from the treason agenda. In fact, what was discussed was the value of unity against the invaders.

The long-awaited day also arrived. The opening of the First Youth Congress was perpetuated at the Vrijmetselaarsloge Building (now: Bappenas building). He had advised his colleagues to make the Dutch spies who were present not focus on the running of the Youth Congress.

The present presented results. The Dutch spy was dissolved in exciting talks until he forgot the contents of the congress. The only way for the colonial government to get a trial is through Tabrani.

The Youth Congress I also succeeded in uniting young people from various ethnic groups. They discussed the language of appropriate unity for Indonesia in the future. The youth figure, Mohammad Yamin, suggested the Malay language as a language of unity.

Tabrani rejected the idea. He wanted the language used by the entire archipelago to be Indonesian. The word Indonesia refers to the narrative of unity that has been echoed by the movement of young people who carry out education in the Netherlands, the Indonesian Association (PI).

A fierce debate ensued. The two of them threw their own ideas at each other. Tabrani still sticks to the name Malay is not good to use as a unity language. Even though many elements of Malay are used in Indonesian. He wants the name of the unity language to be Indonesian.

The compromise then brought results. Tabrani's proposal was in fact perpetuated at the Second Youth Congress which resulted in the Youth Pledge. The oath affirms the homeland, nation, and the language of one: Indonesia.

Tabrani's struggle also received great appreciation when Indonesia became independent. Even though Tabrani passed away on January 12, 1984. He is said to be a National Hero. This narrative was only conveyed during the era of President Joko Widodo's administration. Tabrani was also appointed as a National Hero on November 10, 2023.

'Sanusi Pane asked Muhammad Yamin and M. Tabrani to take turns presenting their respective reasons for defending their opinions. After the two people finished talking, Sanusi Pane, who is a historian, writer and sincere in the language, then expressed his opinion. It turned out that Sanusi Pane's opinion was in the form of support for M. Tabrani's reasons.

"But because each party persists in their opinion, the negotiations are deadlocked. To overcome the dead end, the Congressional Committee intervened to hold deliberations. Thanks to the spirit of nationality and a sense of unity, finally a solution can be found. And it was reached by an agreement that the final decision regarding whether the language of unity, Malay language or the language of unity, Indonesian language was suspended until the second Indonesian Youth Congress," explained Bambang Sularto in the book Wage Rudolf Supratman (2012).