Djamaluddin Adinegoro

Adinegoro's concern about the freedom of the press when political animosity increased affected his health. Several times his health was declining and Adinegoro had to be hospitalized in Carolus Hospital, Jakarta. On January 8, 1967 the Indonesian journalist died. He now rests in Karet Bivak Public Cemetery in Central Jakarta.

Since October 1951, Adinegoro led the Indonesian Press Bureau Foundation (Yayasan Pers Biro Indonesia Aneta/PIA) which liquidated the colonial press bureau. PIA has published Indonesian, Dutch, English bulletins, as well as bulletins for finance and economy, and also news in English. Once after the PIA became a part of Antara Newswire Agency, Adinegoro became Antara’s Bureau Head of Education, Research and Documentation.

In 1947 Adinegoro’s health was declining, and he moved to Jakarta. After regaining his health, he started to write again for Waspada daily in Medan. Adinegoro’s spirit was raised again when he and his press colleagues set up a weekly, Mimbar Indonesia. In this well-known magazine he wrote about foreign affairs politics, which became his expertise.

During the Japanese occupation, Adinegoro led the Sumatera Shimbun daily. In May 1945, After being assigned as head of the secretariat of the Sumatra Central Advisory Council, Adinegoro moved to Bukittinggi. After the proclamation of independence, Adinegoro was assigned as head of Sumatera National Committee. He encouraged the people of Sumatera to carry out the President’s command: to take over the government from the Japanese and declare Proclamation of Independence along with the local leaders. Besides running the Kedaoelatan Rakjat newspaper, Adinegoro also established Antara newswire service Sumatra branch.

On August 25, 1932 Adinegoro married Alidar binti Djamal, a woman from Sulit Air, Solok, West Sumatra, his friend from STOVIA, with whom he had five children. Although living a life of scarcity, Adinegoro had a high commitment as a reporter and writer who produced two literary works: Darah Muda and Asmara Jaya.

In mid-1931, Adinegoro returned to Indonesia. He worked in Balai Pustaka Jakarta and received an assignment to lead Pandji Pustaka magazine as well as a writer in Bintang Timoer. Not long afterwards Adinegoro accepted an offer to lead a newspaper Pewarta Deli in Medan.

Djamaluddin Adinegoro (14 August 1904 – 8 January 1967) was an Indonesian press pioneer. He is known as a reporter, writer, and political analyst. Through his writing in various newspapers, Adinegoro has made a great contribution in developing journalism and the Indonesian language. His name was immortalized as a journalism award in Indonesia: the Adinegoro Award. Djamaluddin was a younger half-brother of Muhammad Yamin.

Djamaluddin was born on August 14, 1904, in Talawi, Sawahlunto, West Sumatra. His father Tuanku Oesman Gelar Bagindo Khatib was a "penghulu andiko" or "regent" of Indrapura. Coming from a ruling family, Djamaluddin had the privilege to be educated in Dutch schools. After graduating from the Europeesche Lagere School (ELS), Djamaluddin and his brother Muhammad Yamin continued their study in Hollands Indische School (HIS) in Palembang.