Soekarno was unexpectedly a loyal user of Bata shoes, here's the story

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – PT Shoes Bata Tbk (BATA) announced the closure of its factory in Purwakarta. This shoe manufacturer admits that it is difficult to carry out operations in the wake of mounting losses.

This decision of course makes the existence of Bata shoes in Indonesia, which have been around since 1939, a distant memory. Several people have memories of Bata shoes, one of which is the 1st President of Indonesia, namely Soekarno.

Bata shoes, which have been around since before independence, attracted Sukarno's attention. Soekarno is recorded several times in history as having visited the Bata shoe factory and bought up the shoes. The proclamator's great concern is of course based on the fact that Bata is a well-known shoe manufacturer from Europe which has the courage to open a factory in Indonesia and continues to survive amidst the onslaught of the political and economic situation.

In 1952, Soekarno visited the Bata shoe factory in the Kalibata area, South Jakarta. At that time, Bata shoes had a large production center in the area which was surrounded by rubber plantations. It is said that the area reaches more than 5 hectares. It was so large that the Bata shoe company donated part of the land to the Indonesian government to build a burial site which is now called the Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery.

When visiting the Bata factory, Soekarno was accompanied by the Mayor of Jakarta, Sjamsuridzal, and the Director of Bata, namely Thomas J. Bata. In recordings from the Indonesian National Archives, Soekarno is seen greeting employees and touring the factory to see the production process for these legendary shoes.

Apart from that, at certain moments, Soekarno was also recorded as a loyal user of Bata shoes. As explained by Soekarno's aide, Maulwi Saelan, in his memoir entitled From the '45 Revolution to the '66 Coup: the testimony of Deputy Commander Tjakrabirawa (2001), it is known that the proclaimer bought 3 pairs of brick shoes that he used to exercise.

Not only used for himself, Soekarno also bought Bata shoes to kindergarten children. This was told directly by his daughter, Megawati Soekarnoputri, to a private TV station in Indonesia some time ago. In her testimony, around the 1960s, Megawati, who was still in kindergarten, was the only child who wore shoes. Meanwhile, his friends were forced to loud due to economic factors.

As a result, to reduce inequality, Megawati took off her shoes. This news then reached Soekarno's ears and touched him. After that, said Megawati, Soekarno immediately bought his daughter's friends shoes. The shoe brand bought by Soekarno was Bata which was produced in Kalibata. Since that incident, Megawati's kindergarten friends have been wearing the same shoes as her, namely the Bata brand.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(mfa/wur)