Thursday, September 5, 2024 was a dark day for most people, especially for those who knew and were close to Faisal H. Basri. That morning, the sad news came. Bang Faisal - that's what most of us called him - left us all. Indonesia lost one of its best sons. Bang Faisal was an honest figure and voice, that was the impression conveyed by his friend, Sri Mulyani Indrawati when remembering Faisal Basri. That day, there were many writings containing memories of Bang Faisal written by his friends, colleagues, juniors, and students at FEUI.
The idea to collect memories about Bang Faisal came from a discussion with Mohamad Ikhsan, his colleague at the FEB UI campus and also at the Institute for Economic and Community Research (LPEM FEB UI). This initiative was conveyed to fellow FEB UI alumni and finally in this book there is a collection of writings from many people who are willing to write their obituaries and memories for the late Bang Faisal. We are sure that the writings in this book will certainly not be able to accommodate all people's memories of the late Faisal Basri. However, this book can be a reminder for us regarding the impressions and deep memories of Faisal Basri.
LPEM as Bang Faisal’s “first home”—that was his impression of LPEM—felt obliged to collect this writing. Until before his return, Bang Faisal was still listed as an Advisory Board member at LPEM. One thing that we will always hold fast to, as written by Chaikal Nuryakin in this obituary, is Bang Faisal’s message that research, and we feel that it is not only exclusively carried out by LPEM, must fulfill several elements: the values of integrity, transparency, independence, and discipline. Bang Faisal had many other homes. Prof. Iwan Jaya Azis and Prof. Mari Pangestu shared their memories of building another home at PAU-Economics, University of Indonesia with Bang Faisal. Professor Dorodjatun Kuncoro-Jakti shared the side of memories when developing the Political Economy and History of the Indonesian Economy course at FEUI (and later FEBUI).
His home is not only limited to the UI campus. For several leading national media such as Tempo and Kompas, Bang Faisal is no stranger at all. In these two leading print media, Bang Faisal is not just a columnist or resource person but also one of the few figures who is asked to maintain the quality of news in these media. Bang Faisal not only uses or is "used" by the two leading media to channel his aspirations but becomes an "external controller" of the quality of news as conveyed by Arif Zulkifli (Tempo) and Sri Hartati Samhadi (Kompas).
We would like to thank all those who have contributed their writings in this book to commemorate Bang Faisal Basri, starting from Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Mohamad Ikhsan, Dorodjatun Kuntjoro Djakti, Iwan Jaya Azis, Mari Pangestu, M. Chatib Basri, Hera Susanti, Titik Anas, Budi Hikmat, Arianto Patunru Ari Pedana, Vid Adrison, Kiki Verico, Andry Asmoro, Chaikal Nuryakin, Luthfi Ridho, Jahen F. Rezki, Teuku Riefky, and Nicko Yosafat, Arif Zulkifli, and Sri Hartati Samhadi. We would like to thank Muhammad Nur Ghiffari and Muhammad Zhilal Farras Dzikra who have helped in compiling this book.
We would also like to thank Muhammad Fadli who was willing to share his photo archive of Bang Faisal to be used as the cover of this book. Of course, we would like to thank Bang Faisal's wife, Syafitrie Nasution and their three children: Anwar Ibrahim Basri, Siti Nabila Azuraa Basri, and Muhammad Attar Basri who have given permission and support in publishing this book. Hopefully this book can be a reminder for us of the figure of Faisal Basri, which makes him eternal in our memories.
Salemba, November 2024
Mohamad Ikhsan, Kiki Verico, and Jahen F. Rezki
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