The Legacy of M.H. Thamrin in Jakarta's Journey Towards Five Centuries

Jakarta’s 499-year journey is no short passage of time. From Sunda Kelapa, Jayakarta, Batavia, to Jakarta, the city has continuously evolved and transformed with the times without forgetting its cultural roots. Throughout this long journey, Jakarta also remembers figures who played significant roles for its people and development, one of whom is Mohammad Husni Thamrin. The fighting spirit of this Betawi figure teaches the importance of courageously voicing justice through diplomacy. Born on 16 February 1894, M.H. Thamrin was a politician known for his concern for the welfare of the common people. He proved that major change could be fought for through strategy, negotiation, and education. The public was invited to remember this Betawi figure through a colossal performance that also depicted a brief history of Jakarta. The performance was part of the series of events commemorating Jakarta’s 499th anniversary, held at the Silang Selatan area of the National Monument (Monas) complex on Monday. The performance was set in 1921, when Batavia was hit by an economic crisis. At that time, Governor Dirk Fock ruled in an authoritarian manner and implemented various policies detrimental to the people, especially the Betawi community living near the centre of power. Inequality was widespread. The people’s freedom of movement was restricted while their welfare was neglected. The Betawi community was trapped by the impacts of the economic crisis and regulations that did not favour them. This situation gave rise to a new awareness that the struggle did not always have to be carried out with weapons, but could also be pursued through bureaucracy and resistance from within the system. Mohammad Husni Thamrin, familiarly known as Mat Seni, was a Betawi fighter who took this path. He realised the need for a figure to enter the government and dare to oppose Dutch policies that continuously produced rules detrimental to the people. His attention was focused on various problems faced by the Betawi community, especially the development gap between villages and the city. His sole aspiration was to defend the Betawi people from injustice and colonial cruelty. In a speech, M.H. Thamrin expressed his concern about the villages in Batavia that were frequently hit by floods. He therefore proposed the construction of a dam on the Ciliwung River as an effort to prevent flooding. This idea caught the attention of his colleague, Van der Zee, who then brought it up for discussion in a session of the Gemeenteraad (City Council). To this day, the Ciliwung canal stands as a historical witness to the vision of a young Betawi man in his search for a solution to Jakarta’s flooding problems.