Batak generals and development in North Sumatra

The way three Batak Army generals have chosen to help develop their homeland in Tapanuli, especially in training human resources, is quite exemplary, whatever their real motives may be.

The Batak philosophy of "Hasangapon (glory), hamoraon (wealth), and hagabeon (having sons, daughters and grandchildren)," may also have motivated them in contributing to the development of the region.

If this is true, then hasangapon will be their strongest motivation. And what is wrong with that?

Lt. Gen. T.B. Silalahi, who has vast experience in managing various military foundations and businesses, and is also a former Cabinet member, was the first among the three generals to decide to help with the education of young people in his native region, North Tapanuli (now the regency is divided into four regencies with Silalahi's region being part of Tobasa regency).

In 1992, Silalahi established the Soposurung Foundation to upgrade the status of State High School No. II to that of a Superior High School.

Silalahi's charitable investment has borne fruit, with many of the school graduates now enrolled in top state universities. To date, he shows no signs of tiring in financing the school.

"Give your heart, not just your money," Lt. Gen. (ret) T.B. Silalahi replied when asked his reasons for helping the students.

Gen. (ret) Feisal Tanjung followed Silalahi's suit two years later. When he was still the armed forces chief, he set up the Matauli State Superior High School in Sibolga, (347 kilometers south of Medan), along with Akbar Tandjung, a former Cabinet member and former Golkar chairman. They gave priority to students from Sibolga, Central Tapanuli and South Tapanuli.

Then, it was Gen. Pandjaitan's turn. However, his target is higher education. People may ask why he is so enthusiastic about this project given that ICT is a totally new field for him.

A family source disclosed that the general's sisters, who were graduates of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), often teased him as an Army officer about has lack of knowledge about science and technology.

"He wants to prove to his sisters that their perceptions of him are wrong," said the source jokingly.

The three generals were clearly inspired by former TNI chief and former minister of defense and security, the late Gen. Benny Moerdani.

He initiated the establishment of the Taruna Nusantara High School in Magelang, Central Java. It is located not far from the Military Academy in the same town, and applies the military academy system.It opened back in 1990.

And how do they pay for these dream schools? An interesting question, indeed.

Perhaps, we can learn from the experience of a respected journalist who asked then president Soeharto in the early 1980s about how he paid for the development a military housing complex in North Jakarta.

"I got the money from mbahmu (your grandma)," replied Soeharto, upset at what he considered to be a personal question.

(Kornelius Purba)