Mohammad Husni Thamrin

Muhammad Husni Thamrin was born in Sawah Besar, Batavia (now

Jakarta), Dutch East Indies, on February 16, 1894. His father
was a British of British descent and his mother was of Betawi
descent. Since childhood he was cared for by his uncle from his
mother because his father died, so he did not bear the name of
the Dutch. Meanwhile his grandfather, Ort, an Englishman, was
the owner of the hotel in Petojo's number, married to a Betawi
named Noeraini.

His father, Thamrin Mohamad Thabrie, was a Wedana of Batavia

under governor-general Johan Cornelis van der Wijck in 1908.
Thamrin was fluent in Dutch and was able to debate. According to
the historian LIPI Asvi Marwan Adam, Thamrin began his career as
an apprentice at the Resident of Batavia and clerical employee
in the shipping company Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij,
then sat on the City Council (Gemeenteraad, 1919-1941) then
fought in the People's Council (Volksraad, 1927-1941).
In 1929 an important incident occurred in Gemeenteraad, namely
concerning the filling in of vacancies for the position of
deputy mayor of Betawi (Batavia). The actions of the colonial
government at that time were indeed very unwise, because it
turned out that the job vacancies were given to Dutch people who
were less experienced, while for that position there were Betawi
people who were far more experienced and fit for the position.
This government action received a strong reaction from the
national faction. In fact they took steps to strike, apparently
their business was successful and in the end Muhammad Husni
Thamrin was appointed as deputy mayor of Batavia.

Two years before the incident, Muhammad Husni Thamrin had indeed
stepped into a heavier battlefield, because he was appointed as
a member of an institution with a wider reach and higher
dignity. In 1927 was appointed as a member of the Volksraad to
fill vacancies declared empty by the Governor General. At first
the position was offered to Hos Cokroaminoto but was refused.
Then offered again to Dr. Sutomo but also he refused. With the
refusal of these two great figures, a committee was formed, the
committee Dr. Sarjito who will choose someone who is considered
appropriate to occupy the vacant seat of the Volksraad.
Committee Dr. Sarjito finally made his choice to Muhammad Husni
Tharnrin. The reason he put forward was that Muhammad Husni
Thramrin was fit enough to occupy the seat considering his
experience as a member of Gemeenteraad.

After Dr. Sutomo died in 1938, Thamrin replaced him as deputy

Chairperson of the Great Indonesia Party (Parindra). His
struggle in the Volksraad continued with a motion, so that the
terms Nederlands Indie, Nederlands Indische and Inlander were
replaced by the terms Indonesia, Indonesische and Indonesiea.
Thamrin's struggle for independence, said Asvi, was slightly
different from the figure of the independence movement at the
time. Like Soekarno who seemed blunt in fighting, Thamrin was
more cooperative. Although Thamrin's cooperation is groundless
in loyalty to the Netherlands.

Thamrin mode is also effective. When the movements of Soekarno,

Hatta, and Sjahrir seemed to stagnate, Thamrin continued to move
enthusiastically in the Volksraad. Although later, Thamrin still
had to bear the "whip" from the Netherlands. The difference was
that Bung Karno was banished to Ende, East Nusa Tenggara,
Thamrin was subjected to house arrest, after Soekarno visited
his home.

For another reason, he refused to fly the Dutch flag at his home
on Queen Wilhelmina's birthday, August 31, 1940. According to
Asvi, Thamrin also had time to remove JINTAN, a Japanese-made
cheap mouthwash, into "Japan's General Later Toeloeng Children
of the Country". In addition, Japanese figure Kobajashi was
extended to "The Dutch Colonies for Japan Take All Over
Indonesia".

In 1960, MH Thamrin was appointed as a national hero by

President Soekarno and his name was enshrined as the name of the
protocol road in Jakarta.