By: Dr. Satrio Arismunandar
In due time, Denny JA will be remembered as the first Indonesian writer whose fortune exceeds one trillion rupiah.
This issue is important not to raise in the context of Denny JA’s personal glorification. But Denny JA brought a new tradition in the world of Indonesian writers: namely, the advent of the entrepreneurial writer era.
Those who chose to live in the intellectual world were known to choose the path of asceticism. It is a path that ignores material life and worldly wealth. Previously, the intellectual world was a world that was only concerned with reason and spiritual wealth.
Denny JA rebelled against that tradition. For him, being an intellectual, a writer, and an opinion maker would be perfect if he was also rich.
With great wealth, the intellectual could finance his own work. He has a lot of free time to work because he no longer has to work. And he can also be generous, helping to grow the scholarly tradition.
Denny JA has grown into a unique intellectual species. On the one hand, he has been productive and has written 57 book titles, ranging from books on democracy, political marketing, literature to religion.
He also popularized the meme tradition, producing dozens of animated videos.
He also writes in world academic journals, which must go beyond the reviews of international academics to be published there.
At the same time, Denny also owns dozens of property businesses, mining, food and beverage, hotels, convenience stores, to political consulting firms.
From reliable sources it was heard that Denny JA’s assets were around one trillion rupiah. He is currently Indonesia’s richest writer.
-000-
I have known Denny JA for a long time. In the student era, 34 years ago, when I was still a student of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UI, I responded to Denny JA’s writing in the Kompas daily.
At that time Kompas was a very prominent daily. Very rarely at a student’s age are able to write with quality Kompas opinion pages.
In relation to writers plus entrepreneurs, as far as I can remember, Denny JA first put the idea in public, when he wrote in Djohan Effendi’s 70 years book, 2009.
Djohan Effendi is known as one of the initiators of Islamic reform alongside Nurcholish Madjid, Abdurrahman Wahid, and Ahmad Wahib. Djohan was also a minister when Gus Dur was president.
Known for living a very modest life, Djohan Effendi has continued the tradition of intellectual ascetics.
In Djohan Effendi’s 70 years book, Denny wrote. “I admire Djohan Effendi’s tradition of modest life. But I consciously chose a different path of life.”
“There are other options. Being intellectual,” wrote Denny, “but also very rich. So that the intellectual can build a library for the public, finance a good film, and help dozens of orphans to go to school.”
Denny JA didn’t just write down his ideas. He also gave an example. Besides being productive in writing, Denny is also productive in the business world.
Denny is also very rich. Then Denny spent billions of rupiah to encourage the socialization of Pancasila. He spent billions of rupiah to compose a poetry essay. Also widely known, Denny became a philanthropist, who helped many activists and writers’ lives.
Now the legend, Denny JA, is known as the founding father of the Indonesian political consultancy profession. Also known as the pioneer of essay poetry. Also he is considered the pioneer of political memes in Indonesia.
Denny JA also broke the Guinness World Records for political education in 2018. He was the recipient of the TIME MAGAZINE award with Barack Obama and Justin Bieber as the 30 most influential people in the internet world in 2015.
Now Denny JA will also be remembered for carrying on the tradition of entrepreneurial writers. History will record him as the first Indonesian writer whose wealth exceeds one trillion rupiah.
Happy birthday, Bro Denny JA. Keep innovating. *
Depok, January 4, 2021
*) media practitioner, author of books and a graduate of PhD in Philosophy, UI.
