Kompas Gramedia Founder Jakob Oetama Passes Away

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesian media has lost one of its pioneers — Kompas Gramedia founder Jakob Oetama who passed away today, September 9. He was 88.

Kompas.com reported that Jakob Oetama died at the Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta because of organ failure.

The website added that his remains will lie in state at Kompas Gramedia’s offices before he is interred at the Kalibata National Heroes Cemetery in Jakarta on Thursday, September 10.

Also read: Former Indonesian National Team Coach Alfred Riedl Passes Away Aged 70

Born in Magelang, Central Java on September 27, 1931, Jakob was a schoolteacher before he began a career in media and founded Kompas Gramedia on August 17, 1963 with his partner PK Ojong. They started off by launching Kompas and Intisari.

Jakob and Ojong split tasks at the outset, with the former overseeing the editorial aspects of the business and the latter in charge of business affairs. However, Ojong’s sudden death left Jakob in unfamiliar territory.

“I was forced to take care of the business aspects [of the media industry]. I have to admit I have no business management experience,” he recalled before his death.

“But I guess my greatest strength is in accommodating [others], and in modestly acknowledging that I do not know everything about the business.”

His humility kept him grounded and enabled him to build up Kompas Gramedia as Indonesia’s largest media conglomerate.

Tributes also poured in from the Indonesian Air Force and politicians Ahmad Riza Patria, Asrul Sani, Fachri Hamzah and Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo, as well as other institutions and figures.

(Writers: Wahyu Adityo Prodjo, Bayu Galih | Editors: Sabrina Asril, Bayu Galih)

Sources: 

https://megapolitan.kompas.com/read/2020/09/09/13265221/pendiri-kompas-gramedia-jakob-oetama-meninggal-dunia. 

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/09/09/13580871/jenazah-jakob-oetama-akan-dimakamkan-di-tmp-kalibata.