When NU People and Muhammadiyah People Meet

 

When NU People and Muhammadiyah People Meet

One day, I was invited by KHA Wahid Hasyim to visit Pak Dirman, the Great Commander. He has been very sick for several days.

"I'm sick, Mas Wahid ..." Pak Dirman stretched out his hand to KHA Wahid Hasyim.

"Hope you get well soon," said KHA Wahid Hasyim.

"How are you brother?" Pak Dirman turned his gaze to me and I shook his hand.

"What's wrong with Mas Dirman?" asked KHA Wahid Hasyim.

"My lungs. The doctor said, only one is functioning," Pak Dirman answered while coughing. We were all silent, very moved I saw the Commander in Chief who was lying down. His body had only grown thinner, and he looked pale from lack of sleep. He looked up at me and asked:

"We haven't seen each other in a long time. Are you still leading Hezbollah?”

"Pak Dirman is too busy, I don't have the heart to disturb Pak Dirman. And I'm still with the Hezbollah kids," I replied.

Mr. Dirman and I have known each other for a long time, since before the Japanese came. We are from the same area, Banyumas, and we are both private school teachers. I used to call him “Mas”, but since he became the Commander-in-Chief, it feels like the call “Mas” isn't that good anymore. Since then I used the nickname "Sir" to him. At first he objected to this change, but I said, let it be, because it was natural. I think, who should respect a leader, should first his own friends.

“Mas Wahid, I think it would be very nice for you to come to Bung Karno again, to explain the current situation. Yesterday I told him about our problem with the Netherlands. The government should not underestimate the possibility of the Dutch invading Yogya. I am a military man, I respect the government's political views, but military views should also be considered,” Pak Dirman started with a heavy-level discussion. Because the one who needs to respond to this serious problem is KHA Wahid Hasyim, so I just want to be a listener.

"I've met Bung Karno, as well as Bung Hatta. I can understand the politics of government diplomacy, but diplomacy without military power is almost useless. That's why, in my opinion, let's just leave it alone if there are battles between the Dutch and our children, so that the Dutch realize that we also have combat capabilities. Gradually we are proud of our strength, it needs moral assistance from our diplomats," said KHA Wahid Hasyim.

"What I've been worried about for a long time is now happening. The communists stabbed us with daggers in the back, when we were facing the Dutch. What I think about is that if at any time the Dutch invaded Yogya, our military strength would not be scattered. That's why I ordered Headquarters to speed up the destruction of the PKI rebellion in Madiun. Alhamdulillah, God has mercy on our struggle,” Pak Dirman stopped talking, tears starting to well up in his eyes. We are all touched.

I've been sitting with these two important people long enough. One is the Commander in Chief and the other is his advisor. Maybe there will be a conversation that only the two of us can know, so I'll excuse myself going out for a while on the pretext of calling. I was in the adjutant's room to have a telephone conversation with KH Masykur, the Minister of Religion. I told him that there was a message from KHA Wahid Hasyim asking him to wait at the "Merdeka" hotel.

I guessed that the one-on-one talk was over. I immediately went into Pak Dirman's bedroom, where he received us lying down since earlier. It turns out that the only one-on-one conversation is just a tail. I just caught the conversation of KHA Wahid Hasyim, he promised that after meeting the President he would meet Pak Dirman again at his house.