Remy Sylado is one of Indonesia’s senior writers and has consistently pursued the art world. Many names are pinned to this man of Minahasa descent, North Sulawesi. He is an actor, lecturer, novelist, writer, writer, and former journalist.
Emy, the wife of the writer Remy Sylado, admitted that she did not expect the arrival of Governor Anies Baswedan who immediately stated that she would bear the medical expenses of her husband, who had been sick for more than a year and only relied on herbal medicine.
Anies Baswedan admitted that he had no special memories with Remy. Nevertheless, Remy is one of the artists and culturalists whose works he admires and is instrumental in giving meaning to the development of the culture of Jakarta and Indonesia in general.
INCOGNITO visit by Governor Anies Baswedan to the residence of famous writer Remy Sylado on Jl. Cipinang Muara 3, East Jakarta Friday, January 14, 2022 shocked the citizens of Jakarta, even Indonesia, and went viral on social media.
Because Anies’ visit, Indonesians learned that the great writer Remy Sylado was sick, and had been bedridden for a year at his house.
Anies came at 2:45 pm. Wearing a long-sleeved batik shirt with black pants, Anies entered the residence of the great writer, dubbed the Walking Dictionary.
DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan came to visit the writer and novelist Remy Sylado after Friday prayers, accompanied by the Head of Cipinang Muara Village. Anies was at Remy Sylado’s house for more than an hour to encourage the residents.
Anies’ arrival to the human residence of the ‘Walking Dictionary’ was accompanied by writer Jose Rizal Manua and CEO of KBA News Ramadhan Pohan with KBA News journalists. Ramadhan Pohan while studying at UI was a literary art activist who was friendly with many writers, including Remy Silado, Rendra and so on.
In one room, Remy was seen lying on an iron bed. Anies seemed to have a dialogue asking the current state of the famous writer.
According to Anies, even though Remy is sick, he still has high spirits, his memory and thoughts are still creative and intelligent.
“Still clear (his thoughts) his expression shows that his spirit is high, even his memories and stories all show that he is not only intelligent, creative, but also tough,” said Anies to KBA News.
Anies admitted that he had no special memories with Remy. Nonetheless, Remy is one of the artists and culturalists whose works he admires.
“In particular, I don’t have any (memory) but he is an artist and culturalist belonging to the Indonesian nation whose works we read, we watch films,” he explained.
Anies really hopes that Remy’s condition in the future will continue to improve and he can finish the novel he is currently writing.
“I want him to get well soon. I also want him to finish his novel. After that, you can be happy with Mrs. Emmy (Remy Sylado’s wife, ed),” he said.
A year of bedridden at home
For more than a year, the writer and nationalist Remy Sylado was lying sick at his house. In an effort to cure and relieve his illness, the author of the novel ‘Crimson Red Veil’ is now only taking herbal medicine because he can no longer afford to go to the hospital.
This 80-year-old writer is cared for by his wife, Emy (70) in a small room measuring approximately 2.5 x 1.5 with the facilities as they are.
Emy herself admitted that she did not know what illness her husband was suffering from. She can only surrender and hope that her husband’s colleagues are fellow artists.According to Emy, so far he has only relied on herbal medicines to be drunk by writers who have been dubbed the ‘Walking Dictionary’ by Indonesian artists.
He admitted that so far no well-known official or figure had come to visit his husband, only today was visited by the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Anies Baswedan.
Governor’s incognito visit
According to Emy, he did not even know the arrival of Governor Anies. She just received information about the arrival of the number one person in DKI Jakarta this morning (Friday, January 14) through her husband’s best friend who is also a writer, Jose Rizal Manua via telephone.
“I am very grateful, thank God. I have never had any communication with Mr. Anies at all. Suddenly, Mas Jos called that Mr. Anies wanted to come today,” said Emy to KBA News at his residence, Cipinang Muara, East Jakarta on Friday, January 14, 2022.
The woman said that before the arrival of Governor Anies, she had asked for help from her husband’s colleagues, and there were several who helped, including the Director General of Education. However, in the communication, Jose Rizal did not inform him from the start that the former minister of education and culture would come to visit.
“Yesterday, I had a chance to communicate with Mas Jos to ask for help, and he replied that Remy would be helped later. Mas Jos called the Director General of Education, and isusequently mformed it to the Governor,” he said.
When asked about Remy Sylado’s close relationship with Jose Rizal, Emy admitted that the close relationship between the two writers had existed for a long time.
“Me and Mas Jos are really close. Praise God for help. Thank you very much Mr. Anies. I can’t leave him alone. I also have a spinal disc herniation myself. I am 72 years old, and he is 80 years old and continues to be faced with conditions like this,” she said.
Send an ambulance
During the meeting, Governor Anies requested that Remy Sylado be taken to the hospital for a medical examination.
Emy also ensured that the examination which will take place tomorrow at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital is fully borne by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government.
“Praise God tomorrow, Mr. Anies will take you to the hospital. Mr. Anies said an ambulance would come and pick him up at the house. We hope for a medical check-up, hopefully the disease can be identified and get the right medicine. So far, only herbal medicine,” he hoped.
The promise of the Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan to bring national writer Remy Sylado to the hospital did not wait long. It took only four hours after his visit an ambulance came to pick up the great artist to be taken to the hospital. Whereas previously Anies promised to take Remy to the hospital the next day.
Anies immediately sent an ambulance to Remy Sylado’s residence in Cipinang Muara, East Jakarta at 19:30 WIB tonight, to take this veteran artist for treatment to the hospital.
During the visit, the former minister of education and culture had promised to take Remy Sylado to the hospital on Saturday, January 15, 2022, tomorrow. However, it turned out that Anies immediately sent an ambulance a few hours after the meeting.
The pick-up of Remy Sylado to the hospital was carried out directly by the DKI Jakarta Health Service (Dinkes) on the direct orders of Anies Baswedan.
“Alhamdulillah, he has been taken to the Tarakan Regional Hospital belonging to the DKI Provincial Government by the Health Office at the direction of the Governor. Treated in a VIP room,” wrote the Twitter account @Naufal Firman Yuslak at 19:35 WIB quoted by KBA News in Jakarta, Friday, January 14, 2022.
Human touch
Naufal Firman’s post then received a lively response from twitter users. Interestingly, many do not know if Remy Sylado is currently experiencing pain.
Not a few twitter users expressed their gratitude to the number one person in Jakarta.
“The mbeling (eccentric) writer who became an icon in his time … thank you, Mr. @aniesbaswedan for lightening his burden,” wrote the @Inominata account.
“Alhamdulillah, always healthy, governor,” added @Fauzi_Lambako.
Meanwhile, the @Lynda_Ibrahim account asked about the fundraising action for the writer who was born in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
“Is there a fundraiser for Uncle Remy, sir?,” asked the account @Lyndaibrahim.
When asked that question, the author of the book, Andreas Harsono, immediately responded by sending the account number of Remy Sylado’s wife on his twitter account @Andreasharaono.
“Please send a donation to his wife Emmy Tambayong BNI 0362389265,” he wrote. The author of the book “My Religion Is a Journalist” also posted a meeting between Governor Anies and Remy Sylado and his wife in Cipinang Muara.
Andreas told that Remy Sylado’s wife previously had difficulty finding a free ambulance to take him to the hospital, and he (Remy Sylado) had received receipts three times.
“The writer Remy Sylado has had three strokes, there is no cost for renting an ambulance, only herbal treatment at his home in Jakarta, today Governor @aniesbaswedan visited his house in Cipinang Muara,” wrote @Andreas Harsono.
Remy Sylado (80), a veteran writer and novelist, and his wife Emy (72) were seen in tears when the Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan came to visit him at their residence in Cipinang Muara, East Jakarta.
Remy had been sick for more than a year, had even had three strokes, so he could only lie weakly in his bed.
Remy is one of Indonesia’s senior writers and has consistently pursued the art world. Many names are pinned to this man of Minahasa descent, North Sulawesi. He is an actor, lecturer, novelist, writer, writer, and former journalist.
Now, the artist who is nicknamed ‘The Walking Dictionary’ by his colleagues spends his time in bed because he is sick.
Emy, his wife, admitted that she did not know clearly what disease the novelist was suffering from. Remy was awarded the 2002 Kusala Sastra Khatulistiwa prize for his famous novel, the Scarlet Red Riding Hood, until he was awarded the Kusala Sastra Khatulistiwa prize in 2002.
The arrival of the former minister of education and culture to the house of the man whose full name is Yusbal Anak War Imanuel (Yapi) Panda Abdiel Tambayong was intended by Anies to help the artist receive medical treatment at the hospital.
In front of Remy and Emy, Anies promised to bear all the costs of Remy’s treatment and care at the hospital.
Hearing Anies’ promise, the husband and wife immediately burst into tears. Remy, who is still fluent in speech, thanked the number one person in DKI Jakarta for his sincerity in helping him.
“Thank you, Governor,” said Remy in a stuttering voice because he was holding back emotion.\
Meanwhile, his wife, Emy, admitted that she had previously been embarrassed to be able to get help from other people, especially literary friends.
“Thank you, Mr. Anies, we are also ashamed to ask our friends,” said Emy, who also burst into tears.
He admitted that so far he did not know clearly what illness the author of the novel ‘My Name Mata Hari’ was suffering from.
“At night I give antangin and habatussauda so I can sleep,” he said.
As far as Emy knows, what her husband often complains about is pain in the stomach when he wants to defecate. In addition, there are small marks on his hands and feet that make him (Remy) unable to move his hands and feet.
“It’s hands and feet, you can’t move. Get well soon,” said Emy, stroking her husband’s hand.
When asked about the smoothness of eating and interactions with people, Emy admitted that her husband’s communication with people is still good and smooth. In fact, just to eat is still smooth.
“He has been sick for more than a year, since October 2020. So far, there has only been one check-up in December 2020, and so far there has not been. If it’s still good to eat, the mind is still good, but just physically,” he explained.
Hearing Emy’s description, DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan immediately confirmed that tomorrow Remy Sylado would undergo an examination and treatment at the hospital.
“Tomorrow we will take him to the hospital. Then a team will come to pick you up by ambulance. Treat it at the Cipto hospital, okay? You don’t have to think about all the costs, they’ve already been covered,” said Anies.
To facilitate the administration of the care for the national writer, Governor Anies immediately took Remy Sylado’s Identity Card (KTP) and seemed to take a photo of Remy’s ID card with his personal cell phone.
Invited by Anies
The governor of DKI Jakarta also encouraged Remy Sylado to get well soon by inviting him in person to appear reading poetry in February at the inauguration of Taman Ismail Marzuki which is currently completing its revitalization.
“Get well soon, I’ll invite you in February to read poetry,” concluded Anies.
Humane and sincere touch is indeed an authentic offensive charm possessed by the populist governor. (kba)
Compiled and re-written by: Edwin J. Pohan
Founder @SciTechReporter
