The Departure of a Yogi
P Swantoro
Polycarpus, or P, Swantoro was a scrupulous historian, wrote Jakob Oetama, his dear friend for decades. Jakob Oetama wrote this in the introduction to Swantoro’s Dari Buku ke Buku: Sambung Menyambung Menjadi Satu (From Books to Books: Connected as One), published by Kepustakaan Popular Gramedia (KPG) and Tembi Cultural House in 2002.
Swantoro and Jakob enjoyed a close relationship, not only time-wise but also in intensity and extent. They complemented one another due to their similar educational backgrounds. Both had strong backgrounds in humanities, lived in one dormitory and had a similar passion for history. Both wished to become pastors, then backed off and wanted to become teachers instead, before ending up as journalists.
There is a meeting point between journalists and historians. People in both professions study events, sources, time, environment, situations, effects and interpretations. All events are seen as human events. This is more than just about the classical journalistic rule of 5Ws + 1H. Both were accustomed to working together. Using initial ideas from Jakob, they would determine how far they would take a story and how to process it to make it meaningful for the betterment of mankind. Journalism of meaning.
Swantoro worked from morning until midnight, when Kompas was ready to print, for more than 20 years. Jakob, meanwhile, spent his days moving between places to get his hands on the latest development of ongoing issues, especially after the death of Kompas Gramedia cofounder/pioneer Petrus Kanisius Ojong on 31 May 1980.
Jakob trusted Swantoro to manage Kompas’ editorial matters. There were contrasts between the two. Jakob is known for his strong compassion. He often takes his work home. Swantoro, on the other hand, was better at separating the two. Jakob always wrote the editorial on important issues. Often times, he could not sleep. Swantoro was the opposite. “I often told Pak Jakob to sleep but he just couldn’t,” Swantoro said on one occasion. “Pak Jakob is emotionally intelligent,” he continued.
Jakob said that history provided a perspective for journalism. Swantoro agreed and once said that history was the story of mankind. Through Dari Buku ke Buku, Swantoro wished to ask readers to journey through history. He wanted to write a book that could stand. At 435 pages, indeed, the book does stand.
Swantoro summarized historians’ ideas of Indonesia from the 17th century up to the 2000s. Around 200 books were used as sources, all of them original works and many of them in the Dutch language. The books were not borrowed from libraries but hunted in flea markets or through friends. Through the book, Swantoro wanted to tell a story of the history of mankind. He wanted to write history “from the ground up”. History provides perspective to journalism.
He adhered to the history-writing method formulated by historian Sartono Kartodirdjo. The Gadjah Mada University (UGM) historian and Pater Zoetmulder SJ, a Javanist – two scientists whom Swantoro admired – were intellectual ascetics. Through Dari Buku ke Buku, Swantoro wished to provide a medium to think further about certain problems. He criticized these sources; a huge undertaking that our historians must do, said Hilmar Farid at the book’s launch in 2002.
One of the members of the Red Palms (Redaksi Palmerah Selatan), P Swantoro, leaves the soccer field at the House of Representatives (DPR) complex in Senayan, Jakarta. He took part in the inter-division soccer matches at Kompas Gramedia.
A yogi
With his 424-page second book Masa Lalu Selalu Aktual (The Past is Always Actual), published by KPG and Tembi Cultural House in 2007, Swantoro’s ideas on the history of mankind was complete. Books for Swantoro were like yoga. This second book is a collection of his writings in the “Fokus” column in Kompas’ Sunday edition from 1979 to 1989.
In the book, readers can find comprehensive tales and perspectives on various events throughout that 10-year span. The events not only related to Indonesia but also abroad. Complementing the previous book, Jakob said that Swantoro was a yogi. Like yogis, Swantoro engaged in yoga by diving through history with a humanitarian perspective.
Swantoro was always close to books and writing throughout his life. Born on 26 January 1932 in Wates, Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, he graduated from the Mertoyudan Seminary in 1953 and underwent novitiate training in Girisonta in 1953-1954. He was close to books in the two institutions. Swantoro then resigned as a Jesuit candidate and enrolled at the 12th grade of SMA Albertus Malang high school, graduating in 1955. While studying at the Sanata Dharma Institute of Teaching Sciences (now Sanata Dharma University) in 1955-1959, Swantoro was asked to manage Penabur magazine in Jakarta while Jakob was studying labor issues in the US. It was only in 1960 that Swantoro continued his studies at the Faculty of Literature (now Faculty of Cultural Sciences) at UGM. However, UGM did not recognize Swantoro’s diploma degree from Sanata Dharma. He ended up starting over by taking the preparatory class.
While in university, he helped at Basis, Praba, Rohani and Intisari magazines. Swantoro also taught at several high schools and universities, including the Yogyakarta State Institute of Teaching Sciences (IKIP). Celebrated cleric and former Muhammadiyah chair A Syafii Maarif always said, “Pak Swantoro was my lecturer in IKIP.” Swantoro began writing professionally when Jakob asked him to help manage Kompas in 1966, only several months after Kompas was launched on 28 June 1965. Other than serving as deputy CEO and deputy chief editor, Swantoro also served in several important positions in Kompas Gramedia until his retirement in 2002.
For his colleagues in Kompas, Swantoro was a straightforward person. In meetings and assigning people, he gave them clear goals, targets and ways to achieve them. He knew only black and white, never gray.
The Yogi departed peacefully at his residence in the Journalists’ Residence Complex in Cipinang, East Jakarta, on Sunday (11/8/2019) at 3:30 a.m. He died while sleeping beside his wife Rosa Antonia Kusmardijah, 84. The yogi left behind a wife, three sons and grandchildren. Goodbye, Pak P Swantoro.
ST SULARTO (Kompas journalist, 1977-2017)
