Tales from Loyal Readers
Verba volant, scripta manent. Spoken words fly away, written words remain. These are the tales of Kompas’ loyal readers, who have read the newspapers since its earliest days.
Physician Trisno Karmadji, 75, still remembers Kompas’ editorial from Feb.6, 1978, one day after the newspaper’s publication ban was lifted by the New Order authorities. “I still remember a particularly touching sentence [in the editorial]. It read like this: ‘first, we have to live before we philosophize’,” Trisno said.
The actual sentence is found in the closing of the edition’s editorial. “Daringly and truthfully, people say that life is more than just about finding bread to eat. However, another phrase is equally truthful: first, we have to live before we philosophize.”
Trisno has been reading Kompas since 1965, its first year of publication. In 1971, when he graduated from university, Trisno found employment and was placed in a remote village in Pacitan, East Java. He could not find Kompas there. Trisno decided to subscribe to the newspaper by mail so that he could still read Kompas during his time in the village, which lasted until 1977.
“Editions arrived a week late, which was annoying because I could not read the day’s news,” he said.
Critical
Due to his still-sharp memory, Yos Salam Surjadi, 82, is critical in reading Kompas. Having subscribed to the newspaper since 1965, Yos, who resides on Jl. Gunung Sahari 8, Jakarta, remembers many events the newspaper has covered.
He remembers an error in Kompas’ coverage of a disaster in Mentawai, West Sumatra.
“It was a huge disaster in 2009. I remember it because I have a connection to the disaster. However, the news said that it happened in 2010. This shows reporters and editors must be more observant. I love reading news about issues in West Sumatra and I will complain when there are errors,” he said, laughing.
Kompas news articles have left indelible marks on its readers. Idris Ilyas, 76, a retired police detective in West Sumatra, said articles in Kompas often helped him in his work.
.“When I worked in economic investigation, I had to tackle cases of finance, smuggling, non-performing loans, credit abuse and other things. Kompas articles helped broaden my horizon in tackling these cases,” Idris said in his home in Berok, Gunung Pangilun, Padang.
Idris said he was able to graduate from the Corporate Economy (now Accounting) department at Andalas University’s school of economy thanks to his Kompas subscription. To obtain a bachelor’s degree, students were required to understand national and international issues. Kompas, with its various pages, served as his reference at the time.
“My seniors introduced me to Kompas, as most national and international issues the lecturers asked students in their thesis defense could be found in Kompas. They told me to read the newspaper to prepare for my thesis defense,” Idris said.
It turned out to be the right decision. Around 25 percent of the questions the lecturers asked him during his thesis defense were sourced from Kompas articles. The knowledge he gained from reading Kompas helped him pass the thesis defense. Idris, born and raised in Solok, graduated in 1972.
Inspirational
Kompas’ lifelong loyal readers said that they found the newspaper’s articles to be inspirational. FX Wibisono, 68, started reading Kompas in 1966, when he was 15 years old and still in his hometown of Semarang, Central Java.
He almost never missed any of Kompas’ pages, including Tajuk Rencana (Editorial), Surat Kepada Redaksi (Letters to the Editor), Internasional (International), Kilasan Kawat Dunia (Global News Briefs), Profil Usaha (Business Profile), Opini (Opinions) and Sosok (Figures). He said that he gave special attention to the Figures page.
“Sosok always presents stories of Indonesian citizens with great achievements. They motivate and inspire me. Amid all the troubles the nation is facing, there are people like those whose stories are published in Sosok. This is inspirational,” he said.
Apart from serving as inspiration, Kompas has also become an inseparable part of its readers’ daily life for 54 years. Chauw Wen, 80, said that he first read Kompas when he was 29. Now, his sight is not as clear as it used to be.
However, his thirst for information has not dissipated. “Reading Kompas is part of my mornings. It feels like I am missing something when I don’t do it,” said Wen in an interview in his auto shop in Jl. Sukajadi, Bandung.
Times have surely changed. Print media is facing huge challenges nowadays. Tempora mutantur nos et mutamur in illis. Times are changed and we also are changed with them. In each of these changes, readers have always been an integral part of Kompas.
A message from Harry Prastawa, 59, a Denpasar-based subscriber who has read Kompas since he was seven years old, is encouraging in the face of these challenges.
“The number of Kompas pages has never been an issue for me. As long as it consistently safeguards the mandate of the people’s conscience and maintains the quality of its contents and language, I will remain a loyal reader of Kompas. However, Kompas must remain dynamic. I believe Kompas can continue to do this, like it has done for the past 54 years. Thank you.” (VAN/AYU/GIO/AYS/HRS/DIT/BRO/JOL/TAM)