Late Kompas Gramedia cofounder Jakob Oetama was put to rest in a military funeral at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery, South Jakarta, on Thursday.
Previous vice president Jusuf Kalla functioned as the ceremony inspector in a telecasted event by Kompas TELEVISION.
” I, Muhammad Jusuf Kalla, on behalf of the nation and the Indonesian Military [TNI], thus present to the Motherland [Jakob’s] body, soul and virtues,” Jusuf said throughout the funeral, which began at 11.20 a.m.
” Might his good deeds influence everybody, may his soul have its rightful location in the afterlife.”
Kompas spokesperson Rusdi Amral said in a statement that the military funeral was indicated to admire Jakob’s stature as a recipient of the Bintang Mahaputra Utama honorary award.
The federal government gave him the award in 1973 for his achievements in journalism.
” Jakob Oetama’s funeral service at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery was suggested as a homage to the Bintang Mahaputra Utama [honorary medal] awarded to him in 1973 when he functioned as a member of the MPR [People’s Consultative Assembly],” Rusdi said.
Prior to the funeral in Kalibata, Jakob’s loved ones formally turned over his body to MPR speaker Bambang Soesatyo on behalf of the government at the Kompas Gramedia structure in Palmerah, Central Jakarta, at 10.27 a.m.
” On behalf of the nation and TNI, I thus get the body of doctor honoris causa Jakob Oetama,” Bambang mentioned throughout the procession.
Jakob passed away on Wednesday at the age of 88 at Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.
Jakob was born in Magelang, Central Java, on Sept. 27,1931 He began his profession as a teacher and later on founded Kompas Gramedia, one of the country’s largest media and publishing business, in 1965 with his coworker P.K. Ojong, who died in1980 (rfa)
