Category Archives: Tribute to Beni Wahju – English

TNC


By Joe Bartlett

Whenever I think about Pak Beni, the word “Gentleman” comes to mind.  Beni personified so many of the good traits that I associate with a “Gentleman”.  He was fair and honest in his spoken word and how he engaged people.  He did not always have to be right, but he would not let a wrong pass unchallenged.  He would tell you how he saw it and was willing to agree to disagree so long as principles were not compromised.

Pak Beni was a role model as a leader among the TNC Indonesia Board of Advisors.  He was always prepared to engage both Government of Indonesia officials and private sector business leaders on behalf of TNC.  Pak Beni led from the front, asking others to do nothing that he himself was not willing to do.

Besides TNC, Pak Beni and I shared a common interest in the Luwu area of South Sulawesi, he as a geologist in the mountains and me, at one time, as a hopeful banana plantation manager, in the coastal area.    He told me some good stories about his early days in the area and the numerous challenges Inco and he encountered.  While the banana plantation project did not occur, Beni was most helpful whenever I sought his advice on how to approach my own Luwu challenges.

Among his many good attributes, Pak Beni sure was a true Gentleman.

Filipino Friends


We met Beni Wahju during the First Asian Federation of Mining Association (AFMA) in Bangkok, Thailand in 1988. I believe Beni was one of the founders of AFMA. Beni was the head of delegates from Indonesia. Due to ethnic relations, our Filipino group tended to go along with the Indonesian Chamber of Mines and as well as the Malaysian group.

Beni was a very pleasant and cordial man to discuss with. He exuded the confidence of a close friend  even at first introduction. He felt like a brother to us. Even our Malaysian and Thailand delegation went together well with Beni. In fact he looked more like an ambassador always dressed elegantly in his coat and tie.In one of the subsequent meetings held and hosted by the Philippines Chamber of Mines, Beni and the Malaysian and Thais came with their wives. I also brought along my wife Yoly to guide and look after their wives while they went around Metro Manila like Central  Market where varieties of clothings, dresses, barong tagalogs are sold at bargain prices. We ate in local Filipino restaurants  where the tastes of local food were not strange to Beni and his very charming and amiable wife Soffie.

Beni and Soffie did the same courtesy to us when we attended the AFMA conference in 1995 in Jakarta ,Indonesia. We enjoyed the sights specially our wives who went around the city with Soffie acting as guide and big sister. My wife was then 7 months pregnant with our youngest son Gabriel.

During all our meetings and social gatherings I noticed Beni had a special heart for the Filipino group. In fact according to a story told to me by the former Director of the Philippine Mines Bureau, Mr. Edwin Domingo, whenever his group visited Indonesia on several occasions they were invited by Beni and Soffie to stay in their home in Jakarta.

We all have the same soft spot in our hearts for dear Beni, a colleague in the mining industry.

We will miss him…Atty.Deo Contreras

Ms Barton


By Bridget Barton

It is with sadness that I think about Benny’s passing. I first met Benny when I was sent to Malili to be ‘looked over ‘ to see whether I was a suitable person to teach the small group of children that belonged to the geologists. Ray Burkhart and Benny were in-charge of this small geologists camp in Malili. Benny was a man held in high regard by all those who worked with him.

Benny was a great supporter of the school during its years of development from the early days in Malili through to its expansion in Soroako.

Benny was responsible for making a number of crucial decisions for the Indonesian children in the school. I trusted Benny’s decisions and had a huge personal respect for him. He was a gentleman, a man of great honour and integrity and a man that had the ability to bring together a diverse group of people across a range of cultural differences.

My experiences in Indonesia were greatly enriched by Benny.

Approachable


By Rick Ness

When presented with the opportunity to write something about our friend and colleague   Beni Wahju, the challenge was not what to say but ”where to start”.  Beni was legendary in his own time.

First and foremost, Beni was known as a true gentleman, a man of principle in all respects and when it came to geology or mining in Indonesia, his name was synonymous with the industry.  He was the type of professional younger geologists aspired to be like and he mentored may fine people along the way.

In addition to his esteemed career with PT INCO, Beni was instrumental in promoting the Indonesian mining industry and he dedicated a large portion of his time in assisting both the regulators and investors to responsibly develop Indonesia’s mineral potential. He was a promoter of good mining practices, sound environmental management and active community engagement to help insure all parties’ benefit from the natural resource development.
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While Beni’s accomplishments were numerous, he was extremely humble and approachable.  He was as comfortable talking to a group of young geologists as he was talking to a senior government official or a chairman of the board.  Maybe it was his caring, his ability to listen, his ability to appreciate, as well as communicate at various levels that made him the special person he was to so many.

The Perfect Leader of IMA


By Paul Coutrier

It was in early 1999 when I became acquainted to Beni N Wahju at IMA (Indonesian Mining Association). It was then that the IMA Executive Committee decided that entering the New Millennium, 2000, IMA should be more proactive to face the challenges facing the mining industry. For this purpose I was appointed Executive Director of IMA. The “fit and proper test” I faced was quite dynamic when 8 members of the IMA Executive Committee participated. When passing the test I my reporting line was  to the IMA Chairman, Beni Wahju.

That is when I started to know Beni as a professional mining expert. My educational and professional background from the Oil Industry and the Environment and my experience as Head of Public Relations and Head of Training and Education of Pertamina was very compatible to that of Beni’s expertise in mining. This was a positive start and soon he leaves the initiatives of running the directorship to me. Together with DR. Sigit, Beni became my most prominent  resource person in mining during my 5 years with IMA. I only left IMA because of my ill health at that time and because of my family pressure to reduce too much public pressure.

Through Beni I got full support from IMA to initiate and frequently held high level  discussions with the parliament/DPR in RDP Commissions  discussions, official discussions with the Government  viz. ESDM (Mining & Energy), Menko Ekonomi (Coordinating Minister for Economy), Dep Keuangan (Ministry of Finance), Bappenas (National Planning Board),Dept Dalam Negeri (Ministry of Interior).Beni was always there to represent IMA and voiced his professional views.

In anticipating a new mining law to replace the one made in 1967 Beni and me even jointly initiated a Workshop on Mining Law with prominent speakers from World Bank and IFC Washington, Colorado School of Mines USA, Dept Kehutanan (Minister of  Forestry), KLH/Ministry of Environment and other invitees from Professional Associations and the academia.

Together we used to be also active in developing relationship with Mining Associations at  regional /ASEAN like AFMA (ASEAN Federation of Mining Associations)  and at International levels like the ICMM.

Beni also introduced me to the Canadian Mining and Prospectors Conference annually held in Toronto. In another opportunity I visited Sudbury and went down the mine to 300 meter below the surface. This was the first and last time in my life to go underground that deep.

When I have to speak at those fora it is always encouraging to realize that expert advice like  Beni was around. Beni was since long a famous expert at the AFMA/ASEAN Federation of Mining Associations.

Together with  several international experts in mining,we both participated in the Preparatory Committee Meeting for the WSSD/World Sustainable Development in Bali, 2002, held by The United Nations. We succeeded in preventing a World Bank boycott on world mining as proposed by some NGO’s. The WSSD was later held in Johannesburg, South Africa

Beni is a gentleman who always maintain a considerate way of speaking and calm profile when arguing. Beni has a lot of friends especially in the mining sector. This is because of his capability of bridging professional differences among the mining people and the ability to communicate with social community leaders in the regions/daerah. His sudden demise is a big loss not only for the mining community but  for every body who knows him well. I am sure he has got a special place “up there”.

Good Bye my friend, Requiescat in Peace

Problem Solver


By Alan Spence

My contact with Beni was initially on Inco supervisory trips from Sydney, Australia, starting about 1967, then from a Toronto HQ and ultimately on friendly visits both in Mississauga and Jakarta. My impressions of Beni therefore grew through many short encounters over a period of nearly 40 years.

Exploration base camp was centered at Malili where I remember such a vibrant group of geologists with roots in Indonesia, Canada, India, Pakistan, Australia and America. Together with their on-site wives, the co-operation, collaboration and spirit of the Malili residents was amazing to me.

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Beni was the key geologist of the excellent Indonesian geological team. Over time he gained the respect of PT Inco Management, taking on a broad range of assignments, and was an important guide to Inco relations with the Indonesian Mines Department.

As a person he had so many attributes. He was the voice of stability, a strong communicator and a problem solver. With a quiet competence he rose through the company’s ranks without seeking the limelight. I remember Beni as a good friend, a gentleman in every sense of the word and, together with his charming wife Soffie, providing wonderful Indonesian hospitality.

Alan Spence

December 2012

Days in Malili


By Edith Thomas

I’m deeply honoured to have been asked by Soffie to remember the time the Heseltine family lived in Indonesia, in particular the days spent in Malili and Soroako. Memories of these times in a small isolated multicultural community and the experiences we had has played a major part in each of our individual  lives.

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I have specific memories of my husband Bill’s relationship with Benny and fondly remember the laughter between them.  Benny was instrumental in fostering the harmony and well being of this community, in spite of some trying times, often negated my the odd ‘happy hour’. Benny, with the support of Soffie, became the rock upon which this small community thrived. The Malili experience became the foundation for the larger and more sophisticated settlement of Soroako. a small isolated multicultural community. It is with pride and affection that I recall our days in Indonesia and Benny was Bapak to all.

Edith Thomas (formerly Heseltine)

Time in Indonesia


By Margaret & Doug Heggie
It is many years since those Malili days,  they still bring back fond memories of the community spirit and friendship of all those members of that early INCO family drawn together from all parts of the world into the tiny Malili community. Our children have very fond memories of their time in Indonesia.
We thank Benny and the other senior Indonesian staff for making us welcome in your country and remember Benny as such a kind and excellent leader.
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My memory of favorite stories has faded now but have included a few photo’s from those days.
All our love to you
Margaret & Doug Heggie

 

Memory Book


By Brian Booth

Though we have been separated by the many years and great distances our hearts have always held you close. The years we spent in Indonesia were times of great growth for our family for which Ibu Soffie and Pak Beni were instrumental. You welcomed us and opened your world to us. By sharing your time , you gave us an unforgettable life changing experience. Words cannot express how much Pak Beni will be missed. Pak Beni was an unflappable leader and teacher, generously sharing his vast knowledge with numerous revolving INCO expats, myself included. Beni took me under his wing and mentored me on how to do business and geology in Indonesia.

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His guidance and direction had an enormous impact on my career as a geologist. His gentle smiling face will be greatly missed. He was an inspirational man with great commitment and compassion for his company PT INCO, his family and his country. Please know how much we share your grief. We have such fond memories in which Beni will live forever.

Our heartfelt condolences.

Love,

Brian Booth, Nancy Richardson,Lindsay and Kristin

Good Friends


By Mohamad Tauchid

Today I typed his name and was shocked to learn that my dear and rare friend passed away in January 2012. My wife and I were planning to visit Indonesia in December’11. Unfortunately the trip had to be postponed to 2013. Other than visiting families, the one old friend that we wanted to visit was Beni and Soffie.

logo-itbWe were, together with the late Karmijuni Pratignyo-Nixon and the late Agus Suparman, were good friends during our student years at ITB. Despite of our separate paths, planned or unplanned, that many viewed me as a black sheep, Beni always regarded me as his close friend. A feeling that I valued very much. We were always in touch and took every opportunity to get together where occasions permitted.

Words failed me in expressing how much I will miss my dear and true friend Beni. However, the memory of having such a friend will remain with me to the end my days.

My wife Gisele and I would like to express our condolences to Soffie and her extended family. We hope to be in touch with Soffie the next time we are in Indonesia.