Bob Hasan (JP/Wienda Parwitasari)

The father figure of Indonesian athletics, Mohamad “Bob” Hasan, known as Pak Bob to those who knew him well, always left a striking impression on those who met him for the first time.

One thing is for sure, Pak Bob, a businessman and former golfing buddy of Soeharto, liked to speak frankly, including when criticizing his protégés at the Indonesian Athletics Association (PASI). The country’s rising track and field star, Lalu Mohammad Zohri, was also not spared from Bob Hasan’s criticism.

During an exclusive interview with The Jakarta Post in September last year, Bob Hasan, the adopted son of Gen. Gatot Subroto, deputy army chief under Sukarno, was not afraid to reveal that Zohri, an under-20 World Champion in the men’s 100 meters, suffered from pinworms.

“It’s because he did not wear shoes when [he] was back in his hometown and rarely washes his hands before eating,” said Bob Hasan.

Now, Zohri and other PASI athletes will no longer hear Pak Bob’s criticism after he passed away at the age of 89 on Tuesday morning at Gatot Subroto Army Hospital in Central Jakarta. He died of lung cancer after his condition had worsened for the last three months.

Forty years of dedication to developing Indonesian athletics is the legacy Bob Hasan leaves. His devotion to track and field helped see the emergence of top athletes like Mohammad Sarengat, Purnomo, Mardi Lestari, Suryo Agung Wibowo and now the Lombok-born star Zohri.

But these achievements did not satisfy the PASI chief, as Bob Hasan, who refused to become complacent, felt he had failed to produce enough elite athletes.

“Historically, we have seen that it takes us too long to produce a star athlete in this sport. We had Sarengat in the 1960s and then Purnomo in the 1980s. Mardi Lestari of Binjai, North Sumatra, continued the legacy before passing the baton to Suryo Agung Wibowo. So, [we have been able to produce] one top athlete every decade. This is not acceptable,” he said.

“Right now, we are perfecting our training regimen and expanding the reach of our talent scouting program. Now, we have a World Champion in Zohri, who comes from a small village in North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. We need to accelerate this by [requiring] students from elementary school to junior high school level to practice and learn the basic skills of track and field first. They can learn other sports in high school. This has been our strategy.”

Bob Hasan’s passing has caused deep sorrow among the country’s athletes and sports figures.

Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali recalled his last conversation with Bob Hasan while the latter was receiving treatment in Thailand last month.

“A month ago, I had a phone call with Bob while he was receiving treatment in Thailand. I guess that’s my last interaction with him. I remember the day when I sought his advice three days after my inauguration as minister and all I can see is his total dedication to track and field,” he said.

“Even at his age, Bob was still willing to go to the Senayan athletics stadium to watch his athletes practice. People at his age typically prefer to stay home and enjoy life. He has made sacrifices and shown enormous dedication. His passing will surely be a shock for all sport stakeholders and the public in general.”

PASI secretary-general Tigor Tanjung said Bob Hasan’s legacy would live on.

“He always pushed me to try to get better,” added Agung, who now works as a civil servant at the Youth and Sports Ministry.

Bob Hasan leaves behind wife Pertiwi Hasan and three children: Siti Taskiyah, Mohamad Satya Permadi and Mohamad Prasandi Iqro. His funeral will be held at the Gatot Subroto family’s private cemetery in Ungaran, Semarang, Central Java, on Wednesday.

Rest in peace, Pak Bob!

Popular

Israel army says 'encourages' eastern Rafah residents to leave

Indonesia oldest shoemaker Bata closes its only factory

More than meets the eye in photo of orangutan ‘offering help’ to man