In the midst of news that US President Barack Obama will finally come to Jakarta this time, people who claimed to know him when he was in elementary school shared old stories with pride.
A street parking attendant named Alias Muhammad bin Ciung, 61, who has been operating in the area of Obama’s former school from the 1960s recalled Obama as a friendly and agile boy.
Obama, who went to elementary school SDN 01 Menteng in Central Jakarta from 1968 to 1971, may visit Indonesia from Nov. 9 to 10, after he earlier postponed plans to visit Indonesia twice in the past year due to domestic crises.
“Sometimes the boy greeted me and said hello when I was on duty, organizing cars here,” he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
He added that Obama, who was known as Barry at that time, often called him Jenggo because of his cowboy hat.
The man, also known as Ali, said he often saw little Obama being taken to and from school by his 40-year-old male helper using an old traditional bicycle, or onthel.
“Little Barry was nerdy. I never thought he would be a president of the United States,” he said.
He added that, just like ordinary children, Obama who had many friends spoke Indonesian fluently.
“I thought he was from Ambon in Maluku or East Nusa Tenggara [NTT] because he had darker skin than the other children,” he said, smiling.
Commenting on Obama’s plan of visiting Jakarta, Ali said that he hoped Obama would come to the school.
“I really want to see him once more. Of course I’m proud of him,” he added.
After Obama’s mother married Indonesian national Lolo Soetoro in 1965, Obama spent four years of his childhood in Jakarta from 1967.
The family lived in Menteng and Obama attended a Catholic school, Asisi, before went to state-run elementary school SDN 01.
There is a bronze statue of a smiling 10-year-old “Barry” Obama in shirt and shorts in the school yard.
A bajaj (three-wheeled vehicle) driver Chasim, 71, who was a traditional pedicab (becak) driver back then in the area, said that Obama with his helper rode on his becak home twice.
“A school assistant asked me to drive Obama and his helper home.
“I forgot the house number, but I recalled that his house was painted yellow, nearby Tugu Proklamasi in Menteng area of Central Jakarta,” he said. Chasim referred to a house in Jl. Taman Amir Hamzah in Central Jakarta.
The second time, the helper came straight to me after school, saying “You were the man who drove us home yesterday, right? Take us there again,” he told the Post.
“Obama was just like other children, but he was agile,” he added.
Chasim, who lives in Matraman area, also said that he never expected the boy to become president of the United States. “I hope he never forgets Jakarta,” he said, commenting on Obama’s plan to visit the city. (ipa)
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