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Name :
Wimar Witoelar
Date&Place of Birth:
Padalarang, West Java, July 14, 1945
Education:
-Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) (not graduated) -George Washington University (Bachelor and Master degrees)
Working History:
-Lecturer of Transportation Studies, Master Program of ITB (1975-1982)
- Visiting Lecturer of Prasetya Mulya, Management Institute (1982-1993)
- Executive Director of Summa Excellence Institute (1990-1991)
- Lecturer of Management and Technology Business Administration Study, Master Program of ITB (1990-?)
- The Leader of PT InterMatrix Bina Indonesia (Consultant Management)
- The Director of PT Inter Properti (Real Estate Development)
- The Director of PT Caksuraga Nusantara Media (Television & Audiovisual Production)
- The Director of PT Inter Sinclair Knight (Consultant Engineering)
- The Director of PT Nusantara International Development Corporation
Other activities:
- The Speaker and Host of Talk Shows, Discussions, Seminars
- Columnist and Interviewer for Print Media and International Television (ABC, SBS, Nine Network, BBC, CNN, CNBC, NBC, European Channels)
- Political Commentator and Columnist for Newsweek, International Herald Tribune, The Washington Post and other national print media.
Family:
- Wife: Suvatchara Witoelar (Neurologist)
- Children: Satya Tulaka (1975), Aree Widya (1978)
Office Address:
PT InterMatrix
Duta Mas Fatmawati Complex
Jl. Raya RS Fatmawati
Phone: 021-727-9002831
Fax: 021-722-9994/750-6524
South Jakarta
E-mail: wimar@perspektif.net
Home Address:
Jalan Madrasah, Cilandak, South Jakarta

Wimar Witoelar:
"I Once Dreamed Of Being President"

He still remains the same. Nothing has changed. He still talks like a seminar or television talk show host. But now he steps foot in the State Palace and dresses in neat official suits appointed with red garuda bird pins identifying him as official Palace staff.

Wimar Jartika Witoelar, popularly called Wimar Witoelar, was officially appointed as the Chief Media Team/Presidential Spokesperson by Presidential Decision (Keppres) No 255/M/2000 dated October 9, 2000. The staff of the Presidential Secretary, now temporarily occupied by Abdul Mudjib Manan (Lecturer of State Islamic Institute (IAIN) Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta), will assist Wimar with his new task.

Wimar also has assistants to help him with his difficult mission. The three assistants are Yahya C. Staquf, Adhi M. Massardi, and Darmawan Ronodipuro. Yahya Staquf is the son of KH Cholil Bisri, a close friend and spiritual teacher of President Abdurrahman Wahid, and the Deputy Secretary-General of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Central Board. Previously, he represented the PKB on the General Election Commission before the government restructured the commission.

Adhi M Massardi is a public relations expert. He worked as the public relations manager at the ANTeve TV station. He has written many articles for the national mass media. Darmawan Ronodipura, the Presidential Media and Press Bureau Chief, worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before moving to the State Palace.

Gus Dur knows Wimar well. Wimar, a communications expert who holds a Masters degree in Business (MBA) from George Washington University, supports the President. Wimar has moderated several Gus Dur interviews. Soeharto once banned one of his interviews with Gus Dur (before he was elected president) on the Perspektif (Perspective) Talk Show, at show that made Wimar famous. Soeharto banned the interview for allegedly discrediting the New Order government.

Although both men are known for their sense of humor, does Wimar always agree with President Wahid? "Not necessarily," he told TEMPO Interaktif a few days ago. Wimar claims that he would resign his job if he could not support Gus Dur's policies. "I'm now 55 years old. Why should I be like Harmoko (Soeharto's former Minister of Information). I don't want to be like him," he added without expanding on his statement.

He promised not to blindly defend Gus Dur's policies. However, he would also refuse to criticize Gus Dur, the former Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Islamic organization. Ethically, a spokesperson can not criticize his President. Therefore, if he truly disagrees with Gus Dur's policies, he would resign rather than defend his boss. "This team was established to serve the press, provide information to the community, and to improve Indonesia's image overseas, not to improve Gus Dur's image," added Wimar, the director of Intermatrix Management Consultant.

Wimar praised Gus Dur as a valuable leader. According to Wimar, the president uses humanism, inclusiveness, tolerance, humor, and friendship to help people help improve their lives. Wimar also calls Gus Dur a democratic leader. Although he inherited a flawed apparatus, system, and officials from the New Order, he refuses to attack those who criticize and abuse his administration. "That's because he's a humanist. He hates violence," Wimar stated.

Wimar is known as a talk-show host. He began his interview career in 1994 on the Perspective talk show produced by SCTV, a private TV station in Indonesia. Wimar's unique style was the show's key. His interview style was critical, incisive, outspoken, and full of humor. He asked uncomplicated questions of his guests. He was capable of distilling difficult subjects for popular discussion.

Although his talk show was banned in 1995, Wimar did not disappear. The former Chairman of the ITB Students Council established the Perspective Live Show that moved from one town to another. After creating a communication and public relations business, InterMatrix Communication, Wimar started a new talk show: Perspektif Baru (New Perspective). Besides airing on several radio stations, the program transcripts were published in the national print media.

After the show was terminated, he became even more famous. He was hired for similar shows produced or sponsored by several institutions or enterprises. He even reappeared in another talk show produced by Indosiar TV station. He also wrote columns in various print media, including the Asal Usul (Origin) column in daily newspaper, Kompas.

While busy with these activities, news spread that Wimar, the brother of Rahmat Witoelar, the former Secretary-General of the Golkar party and former Indonesian Ambassador to Russia, created a new magazine, Indonesian Business. Wimar and his partner, Erlangga Ibrahim, published the magazine in Hong Kong and contracted the printing to a Singapore firm. Why did Wimar elect not to print the magazine in Indonesia? In 1997, Wimar had great difficulty obtaining a publishing license (SIUPP) in Indonesia.

Born in Padalarang, West Java, 55 years ago, Wimar spent his childhood and teenage years in several cities and countries. His father, Raden Achmad Witoelar, frequently moved the family. Before Indonesian independence, Wimar's father worked for the Dutch Indies colonial government as sub-district and district heads in several West Java areas. Following independence, Wimar's father cooperated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an institution he later joined. He served as a diplomat in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and other nations since 1950.

Wimar, the youngest son of five siblings, received his elementary education at the People's School on Cilacap Street in Menteng, Jakarta. Always plump since childhood, Wimar continued his education at the Van Lith Catholic Junior High School in Jakarta. According to an article in the March 16-22 edition of Femina Magazine, the young Wimar initially ignored the Indonesian curriculum, preferring to focus on mathematics and physics. Meanwhile, he also studied the humanities. Despite his inadequate fluency in the Indonesian language, Wimar solve this problem over time. He eventually improved enough to achieve first rank in the class.

Wimar took great pride in ringing the school bell at the beginning, middle, and end of the school day. "The work made me very proud. With that job, I could 'order' other students, even teachers, to start and stop the lessons," Wimar told Femina Magazine. However, Wimar also began to discover serious readings, including political books. He loved to read biographies world leaders like John F. Kennedy, General Douglas Mac Arthur, Winston Churchill, and other notables. Wimar also studied the speeches of Indonesia's first president, Soekarno. Wimar admired Bung Karno. "Because of this admiration, I once dreamed of becoming president," he added.

After graduating from Kanisius Kolese Senior High School, the plump and frizzy hair Wimar, who used to feel inferior in front of women, enrolled at the Bandung Institute of Technology, majoring in Electronics. There, Wimar, who has always been very close with his brother Rahmat, became actively involved in the Bandung Students Union (PMB). He befriended other members including Sarwono Kusumaatmaja, Arifin Panigoro and Johni Saleh (the businessman and former parachute jumping athlete).

In 1965, Wimar was elected as the Presidium Chairman of the ITB Commission Indonesian Students Action Front (KAMI). He represented the Bandung Students Union (PMB). During the turmoil of the Indonesian Communist Party's September 30, 1965 movement (G-30-S/PKI), he led ITB students' protests to eradicate the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). Wimar also led the People's Suffering Mandate (Ampera) missions of ITB students to Central Java, East Java, and Bali. The missions fulfilled the March 11 Indonesian (Presidential) Executive Order (Supersemar). Wimar did his patriotic duty.

However, his political activities delayed his studies. He was also late in love. Ironically, as he told Femina, many PMB female members were famous for their beauty. "Still, I never succeeded with any of them. While other men came to parties with their dates, I came with my male friends. While other men danced, I chatted. Well, I'm actually a romantic person, you know."

However, after accepting a US State Department invitation to visit the USA with other Asia Pasific students, Wimar eventually met Suvatchara, a medical student from Chulangkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. They fell in love and got married at the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok on February 27, 1971.

Wimar and his wife travelled to the US where he enrolled at George Washington University. His studies at ITB stalled. At his new campus, Wimar again chose Electronics as his major. Within one and a half years, he finished his degree and then continued his studies in System Analysis and earned a Master of Science degree in 1974. Unsatisfied with those degrees, he earned Master of Business Administration degree in Finance and Capital Investment.

After returning from the US, Wimar became a lecturer in management studies for ITB's Master program. Despite his occupation as a lecturer, he still had the blood of an activist. Several months before the 1977 People's Consultative Assembly's General Session, Wimar, together with several ITB students from the classes of 1972 and 1973, such as Heri Ahmadi and Rizal Ramli, protested the re-nomination of Soeharto as president. The students placed a large banner that read "No More Trust of Soeharto as Indonesian President" on the university gate. The police arrested Wimar and his friends. He became the only lecturer arrested at that time.

After such a long journey, Wimar's probably never imagined that he would be working in the State Palace. According to Wimar, however, his still does not have an office or facilities, except the staff, administration, and budget assistance from the President's Secretary provided by the Presidential Decree. He does not even know the size of his budget or the civil service level assigned by the president.

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