Jakarta Government Compiles Biography Book of City's Governors for 500th Anniversary

The Jakarta Culture Department is compiling a biography book of the city’s governors, including R. Soediro Hadjodisastro, Soemarno Sosroatmodjo, Henk Ngantung, and Ali Sadikin, in preparation for the 500th anniversary of Jakarta in 2027.

"In preparation for the five centuries of Jakarta city in 2027, the Jakarta Culture Department is compiling a biography book of Jakarta’s governors that highlights the leadership journeys of R. Soediro Hadjodisastro, Soemarno Sosroatmodjo, Henk Ngantung, and Ali Sadikin," said Retno Setiowati, Secretary of the Jakarta Culture Department, on Tuesday.

She stated that as the nation’s capital, Jakarta has a very long historical journey, inseparable from the various policies, ideas, and leadership of the governors in each era. Documenting this journey is important as an effort to preserve collective memory, while also enriching historical references for the people of Jakarta in particular and perhaps for the people of Indonesia in general.

Retno expressed hope that the biography book would not only serve as documentation of the figures’ lives but also illustrate the dynamics of development and the policies they adopted at the time, along with the challenges faced in their respective eras and the development of Jakarta during each leadership period.

As part of the book’s compilation, a focused group discussion was held involving historians, academics, and policy makers to jointly review and provide input on the manuscripts of the four early leaders of Jakarta. "Through this forum, we hope the manuscript being compiled will be richer in substance, have a strong data foundation, and be able to present the history of Jakarta’s leadership in a complete and easily understandable manner for the public," Retno said.

She also hoped the discussion would produce constructive recommendations to strengthen the quality of the book’s content, both in terms of the historical context of Jakarta’s urban development and its presentation, so that the book can become a credible reference that is also easily understood by the public and future generations.