Oene Djoenaidi (3 March 1895 – 6 June 1966), better known in Indonesia as R.H.O. Djoenaidi, was an Indonesian businessman. He sponsored the Pemandangan newspaper and was active in early Indonesian press.
Early life
Djoenaidi was born on 3 March 1895.
As a teenager, he studied
Islam in
Mecca, during which he became familiar with the
Sarekat Islam (SI) and its leaders in
Indonesia. By the age of 18, he had returned to Indonesia, to his home in
Tasikmalaya, and joined the SI.
Career
Once he returned, Djoenaidi worked to manage his father's coconut plantation, and traded in textiles around
West Java. He expanded the agricultural business to lemongrass and rubber, and became known with the moniker "Lemongrass King". He also started a publisher, Galunggung, in
Bandung. In 1933, during a business trip to Batavia, he met journalist
Saeroen who stayed in a hostel run by Djoenaidi's son, and he agreed to invest in Saeroen's newspaper
Pemandangan. Within
Pemandangan, Djoenaidi invested a significant proportion of his personal wealth, appointed
Mohammad Tabrani as chief editor when Saeroen left, and was noted to be generous in compensation to writers and employees.
In 1940 Djoenaidi additionally raised funds through
Pemandangan to repatriate Indonesians living in Mecca stranded by transport restrictions due to World War II.
During the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, Djoenaidi was made deputy chief editor of the Japan-backed Asia Raya newspaper.
He died on 6 June 1966 in his home in Jakarta, having been treated for cancer.
