Kristanto Hartadi

Visited Oxford , was invited by Get Religion Org. (From my digital camera)

Daddy…

You know how much I love You... ….

And I’ll never stop trying

To be your number one …

My father's name is Kristanto Hartadi. He was born in Bandung, 30th October 1963. He married my mother in the beginning of 1990, and then in 1991 I was born. My father studied in SMA 8 Senior High School, Bukit Duri, Jakarta, Indonesia and he graduated from the Faculty of Social Political Science University of Indonesia. There are some introductory stories that I want to share about my father when he was a teenager. My father wanted to be the part of Indonesian Military just like my grandfather, but he failed. He was a mountain climber when he was in high school (1979-1982). He had climbed around 15 mountains in Indonesia, such as; Rinjani (the highest in Lombok), Semeru (the highest in East Java), Merapi, Merbabu and Krakatau Mt. Because of that hobby and he was too relaxed in high school, he was failed to pass the UI examination after he graduated from high school. But, he never gave up. That failure wouldn’t stop him from reaching his future. For a year he studied hard, so he wouldn’t fail in the next chance; he took Mathematic, English and Bahasa classes to improve his quality. And finally he got the jackpot for his struggle; in the second year he officially entered University of Indonesia.

From Zero to Hero

After he graduated from UI, he worked for a magazine named Warta Ekonomi. He was a young journalist. This was his first time to be part of Indonesian Press, which in that period, press freedom in Indonesia wasn't too existant. He worked there for about 3 months, after that he moved to evening newspaper named Suara Pembaruan. To be hired in that newspaper he had to pass the exam. There were about 2000 people who got in to the test and only 15 people who could enter. And the fortune was in his hands, he passed. Actually, my mom also passed in that test, but she didn't take the job because in that time they already had a plan to be married, so it wouldn't make sense if they would work in the same office. This evening newspaper opened his career. He was in the department of foreign news. This department developed him to become a real journalist and introduced him to the international world. He was offered three months scholarship to improve his English in Otago Language Center, New Zealand. He was sent abroad to get the news. My mom told me and my brother about my father’s beginning career. If I were him, I would say that how poor he was in that time but it was also cool. To get the news, he had to wait a long time in front of a building, slept there, kept standby, and always be prepared. But anyway, that‘s a great job for a journalist, and those are the facts about how journalists become a hero to get the news.

After he fulfilled eleven years (1988 - 1999) working in Suara Pembaruan he was offered a job in Astaga.com, a website. He was the head of department of news. It didn’t take a long time; he worked for that company just for 1 year. But he got the experience by working in a cyber media. The leader of the company (a foreign person) offered him another position but it didn’t have a direct relation with the mass media. At that time he was too in love with journalism, he refused the position.

After nine years work in Suara Pembaruan, when he was 35, he was promoted as the Managing Editor, it was a good achievement in that age. Because of his good work, he was more often sent abroad. He had already gone to many countries in the part of the world in Asia, Europe, Australia, Africa and America. He also often went to the same country more than twice, he has already been abroad in more than 25 countries. My dad had an exclusive interview President of Peru Alberto Fujimori, who is now in court for human rights violation and corruption, and Singapore PM Goh Chok Tong. He had reported news in some conflicts from Cambodia, South Africa and Southern Philippines. He was sent to correspondent International Conferences, such as APEC and ASEAN. I also learned from him how to make a connection with some international people and of course and I really admire his experiences in going abroad. . Starting on July 2001, my father has worked in Sinar Harapan. His first position was Deputy Chief Editor. It wasn’t easy to rebuild a newspaper. Even some people used to know Sinar Harapan but everything started from zero. As we know now, there are so many newspapers in the Capital City of Indonesia, Jakarta. The competition make every newspaper to give the most actual, accurate and well-trusted news. If this newspaper could pass this hardest challenge, everything would flow. My father did it. He could manage his editorial team to bring Sinar Harapan to betterment for a new rerelease newspaper. In the fourth year works in that newspaper he got the promotion as Chief Editor, and that position is one of the highest reaches for someone who dedicate his life to have a deal with journalism, from zero to hero!

National Press Club, Washington DC (my digicam)

When he resigned from Astaga.com, an evening newspaper Sinar Harapan which has been closed down in 12th October 1986 by New Order Regime of the late former President Soeharto (passed away this 2008), who had been taking control for about 31 years in Indonesia, was reborn in 2nd July 2001, after Soeharto stepped down in 1998. This newspaper first published in 27th April 1961 and in 2001 they were going to surface again! My father was invited to the launching of this newspaper. There gathered some Indonesian Press veterans; HG Rorimpandey (the founder of Sinar Harapan), Pramono (Indonesian Great Caricature Artist), Aristides Kattopo, Ani Bertha Simamora and so forth.

In the launching there was a ceremony call ‘Potong Tumpeng’. Potong Tumpeng is a Javanese tradition. Potong means cut. Tumpeng is a rice with yellow color with a volcano shape and there are some fried-chicken, mash potato around the rice. Tumpeng is a thankful symbol means a good beginning and so everything will go smoothly. HG Rorimpandey cut the first pieces and said, “ I’m too old to hold this leadership. This is the time for a younger generation to take the control of Sinar Harapan. So, I will give this to Kristanto Hartadi,” At that time, he was so surprised; he was just videoing the ceremony and he would never have expected that he would be the next person who will take the symbol.

Starting on July 2001, my father has worked in Sinar Harapan. His first position was Deputy Chief Editor. It wasn’t easy to rebuild a newspaper. Although some people used to know Sinar Harapan, everything started from zero. As we know now, there are so many newspapers in the Capital City of Indonesia, Jakarta. The competition makes every newspaper give the most actual, accurate and well-trusted news. If this newspaper could pass this hardest challenge, everything would flow. My father did it. He could manage his editorial team to bring Sinar Harapan to betterment for a new rerelease newspaper. In the fourth year working in that newspaper he got the promotion as Chief Editor, and that position is one of the highest reaches for someone who dedicated his life to journalism, from zero to hero!

A Great Family Figure
Now, my father still works for Sinar Harapan. Because of the position that he holds, he takes the opportunity to write the editorial. He was also invited by the European Union, in Brussels in 2006. Last week he just came back from Kuala Lumpur to enjoy a trip from the Malaysia government. Five months later he went to Washington DC to attend a seminar with the Get Religion Organization. Seven months ago he went with the group of President SBY to Australia to attend the APEC Conference. A year later he went to Turkey for the seminar with the same organization and also two years later in London. I often read his writing; he has a good sense of language and strong social analysis. They fight for freedom and fairness, truth and peace in the name of love, just like its motto. The newspaper now can survive from that competition. Even though the newspaper isn’t as shinning and big as it used to be in past, this newspaper has become a well-known newspaper for these seven years. Sinar Harapan also got Adinegoro Award and so on and so forth.

He also brings his habits of the office into our house. He is a democratic and full-leadership person. If we have a problem or see just an ordinary phenomenon in the street, or something bigger than that, we often bring it into a long discussion. My brother and I really love it. My father also grows some moral points to us. He teaches us to be a low-profile person just like him. My brother often asks like this,” Daddy, if you had lots of money, what kind of luxury car would you like to buy and what would you do with that money?” And he always answered the same, ”I would never buy a luxury car. I just need an efficient car. Luxury car is just for the pleasure; it doesn’t give any benefits to poor people. It just makes a wider gap. Better, I would spend that money to open a new fabric or company so I could hire some jobless people.”

My daddy also has a very wide knowledge. He knows every airplane that we saw near the airport, all the military stuff, types of cars (from the classical until the modern one), culture, history, political stories of other foreign countries and he could predict what impact to the government of Indonesia if it does this or that. And one thing that I love the best from his job is, he knows everything that happened first, before everybody knows the news. It seems like, he was ready to say “ I was there."

One message from him that I always remember is if you want to be somebody, you have to be the best. And, I really, really want to become like my daddy. After graduating high school I would study more deeply about law. I think that law has a connection with politics and the press, just like my daddy does. I want to be like him, knowing-well Indonesian political and economic figures, have communication with them, have a dinner and go somewhere with The President, and the ministers. He is an inspiring figure for me. Write an article about how I admire what my daddy does isn’t enough in just this limited space. Maybe someday, I have to write a biography book for him to show more of the struggles that he does in his journalism world and to show how a daughter admires her father. I’m fighting to make all my dreams come true.

I love you, Daddy…

You are my hero!

I love you, Daddy, oh Daddy..

YOU ARE MY SUPERSTAR!