Mochtar Lubis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mochtar Lubis
Lubis in 1979
Born	(1922-03-07)7 March 1922 Padang, Dutch East Indies
Died	2 July 2004(2004-07-02) (aged 82) Jakarta, Indonesia
Citizenship	Indonesian
Awards	Ramon Magsaysay Award (1958, shared with Robert Dick), World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom Award, (1967)

Mochtar Lubis (born March 7, 1922 – died July 2, 2004) was a famous Indonesian journalist and writer. He helped start a newspaper called Indonesia Raya and a magazine named Horison. His book Senja di Jakarta (which means Twilight in Jakarta) was the first Indonesian novel to be translated into English.

Mochtar Lubis was known for being brave and speaking his mind. He often wrote about what he believed was right, even if it meant facing challenges. Because of his strong opinions, he was sometimes put in prison by the leaders of Indonesia at the time, Sukarno and Suharto. He believed it was very important for the news to be free and honest.

Mochtar Lubis's Early Life and Career

Mochtar Lubis was born on March 7, 1922, in Sungai Penuh, a town on the island of Sumatra. He was one of twelve children. His father, Raja Pandapotan Lubis, worked for the government.

Childhood and Early Writings

When Mochtar was a child, he loved to write stories for kids. Some of these stories were even printed in a newspaper called Sinar Deli. As a teenager, he often explored the jungles of Sumatra. He later said that two things he saw there – an empty hut and a close encounter with a tiger – helped him get ideas for his book Harimau! Harimau! (Tiger! Tiger!).

Becoming a Journalist

After finishing high school, Mochtar Lubis worked as a teacher for a year. Then, he moved to Jakarta (which was called Batavia back then) and worked at a bank. When World War II started, the Japanese army took control of Indonesia. Mochtar Lubis began working for them, translating international news.

After Indonesia became independent in 1945, Mochtar Lubis joined Antara, which is Indonesia's national news agency. He worked there as a reporter. In 1947, he reported on an important meeting called the Asian Relations Conference. During this time, he also wrote his book Jalan Tak Ada Ujung (The Road Has no End).

Mochtar Lubis: A Voice for Freedom

In 1949, Mochtar Lubis helped start the newspaper Indonesia Raya. He later became its main editor. He was known for writing articles that were critical of the government. This led to him being put in prison many times. He was held in a prison in Madiun for a long time, from 1957 to 1966.

Mochtar Lubis around 1955

In 1955, while he was editor of Indonesia Raya, he welcomed the famous American writer Richard Wright to Indonesia. Wright visited for three weeks to attend a big meeting called the Bandung Conference. Indonesia Raya published several articles about Wright's visit.

Challenges and Activism

On February 4, 1975, Mochtar Lubis was arrested again. This was after some riots happened during a visit by the Japanese Prime Minister. His newspaper, Indonesia Raya, was also shut down because it reported on a big corruption problem. He was held in Nirbaya prison for over two months without a trial. He was released on April 14, 1975. He noticed that other prisoners had been held for years without a trial. While in prison, he started practicing yoga.

Mochtar Lubis also started many magazines and groups. These included the Obor Indonesia Foundation in 1970, Horison magazine, and the Indonesian Green Foundation. He always spoke out about how important it was for the news to be free in Indonesia. He became known as an honest and straightforward reporter.

In 1996, he returned an award he had received, the Ramon Magsaysay Award. He did this to protest when another writer, Pramoedya Ananta Toer, who had different political views, received the same award. In 2000, he was named one of the 50 World Press Freedom Heroes by the International Press Institute.

Later Life and Legacy

Mochtar Lubis bravely fought against Alzheimer's disease for a long time. He passed away on July 2, 2004, at the age of 82. He was buried next to his wife, Siti Halimah, who had passed away in 2001. Many people, including other journalists and writers, attended his funeral. Mochtar Lubis and his wife had three children and eight grandchildren.

Mochtar Lubis's Awards and Recognition

Mochtar Lubis received several important awards for his work.

• In 1958, he shared the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts. This award is sometimes called "Asia's Nobel Prize."
• His novel Harimau! Harimau! was named the Best Book by a part of the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture in 1975. It also received another award in 1979.

Mochtar Lubis's Published Works

Mochtar Lubis wrote many novels and short stories.

Novels

Short Story Collections