Hasjim Ning dies of heart failure
Hasjim Ning dies of heart failure
JAKARTA (JP): Masagoes Noer Mohammad Hasjim Ning, one of the oldest and most successful indigenous entrepreneurs, died here yesterday afternoon at the age of 79.
According to his relatives, the soldier-turned-businessman died of heart and kidney diseases that he had been fighting for the last six months.
He is survived by his third wife, Ratna Maida, and his five children.
Hasjim Ning, who was born in Padang, West Sumatra, in 1916, is widely known for his pioneering efforts of developing the Indonesian automotive industry in the 1950's.
For the important role in the economic sector, he was once dubbed the "Henry Ford of Indonesia" after the American automobile king.
Between 1979 and 1982 Hasjim served as the head of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. His last private position was the president commissioner of Indomobil Group, the second largest automotive company in Indonesia after Astra International.
He was also the president commissioner of Lippo Group, a conglomerate mostly engaging in property and banking businesses.
He was an army captain after Indonesian independence in 1945 and retired from service as a lieutenant colonel five years later.
Hasjim set up his own first business in 1951 by taking over the management of PT. Indonesia Service Company (ISC), a state- owned assembling company. With the help of President Sukarno, he managed to make the company one of the largest car assembling companies in Indonesia at that time.
Later this company was privatized and taken over by Hasjim Ning and his associates.
In the 1960's, Hasjim turned to the banking business. He bought Bank Perniagaan Indonesia (BPI) and became the majority shareholder of Central Commercial Bank (CCB), which he bought from businessman Syarief Gani.
In 1982, he sold 49 percent of BPI's shares to Mochtar Riady, an Indonesian entrepreneur of Chinese descent who managed to develop Bank Central Asia into the largest bank in the country. Later they changed the name of BPI into Lippobank, which is currently one of the largest bank in the country. (13)
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