Indonesia's Wealthiest Raja Distributes Rp 30 Billion to Benefit the People
When Indonesia’s economy was devastated by Dutch military aggression in 1947, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, the Raja of Yogyakarta and one of the wealthiest figures in Indonesia at the time, took an extraordinary step. He personally disbursed his wealth to assist people living in hardship.
Although his exact wealth was never formally documented, history remembers Sri Sultan as a philanthropic figure who frequently used his personal assets for the benefit of the people. His wealth derived from royal inheritance and the feudal systems still prevalent at the time.
During the early independence period, he contributed 6.5 million guilders to the government and 5 million guilders to the suffering population. This sum is equivalent to approximately Rp 20-30 billion in today’s currency.
Despite his considerable wealth and honourable position, Sri Sultan remained unaffected by luxury. Many observed his practice of living modestly without displaying his riches.
According to the book “Tahta untuk Rakyat: Celah-Celah Kehidupan Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX” (1982), he was recorded purchasing ice from a street vendor near Klender Station in Jakarta in 1946. The weather was extremely hot, and the Sultan needed a refreshing beverage. He preferred drinking ice on the roadside to visiting an upmarket restaurant.
Additionally, Sri Sultan once served as a rice transport truck driver. The story began when Sri Sultan drove his Land Rover truck from the countryside to the city centre. Along the way, he was stopped by a female rice vendor who wished to travel to the city market. She immediately requested the driver to help her load rice into the truck.
Everything transpired without the woman realising her passenger was a Javanese Raja. Sri Sultan readily agreed and loaded two large sacks into the truck. According to the autobiography of Pranoto Reksosamodra titled “Catatan Jenderal Pranoto Reksosamodra” (2015), during the journey, the rice vendor and Sri Sultan engaged in conversation, neither aware they were conversing with the highest authority.
Upon arriving at the market, Sri Sultan performed the duties of an ordinary driver, unloading the sacks. The rice vendor then offered him payment. However, Sri Sultan politely refused and returned the money.
The rice vendor reacted negatively. She became angry and felt insulted, believing the truck driver was refusing payment because the amount was too small. Sri Sultan promptly departed from the rice vendor. The woman remained unaccepting of the refusal and viewed the driver as arrogant and in no need of money.
As the woman continued muttering, someone eventually informed the rice vendor that the truck driver she had been scolding was actually Sultan Hamengkubuwana IX. Upon hearing this, the rice vendor was shocked and fainted, requiring hospitalisation. The incident reached Sri Sultan’s ears. Immediately, the Sultan drove to the hospital to visit the rice vendor.