Hercules (gangster)

Last updated

Rosario de Marshall, [1] commonly known as Hercules, is an Indonesian gangster and political broker hailed from the current Timor-Leste. Hercules was a porter for the Indonesian army during the Indonesian occupation of East Timor. Once moved to Jakarta, he formed his own preman gang in the Tanah Abang district, ruling the Jakartan criminal underworld during the 1990s. Today, Hercules retains a celebrity status as a fearsome gangster, occasionally appearing on TV programs as well as tabloid magazines. He is also notable for his political ties with the 2014 and 2019 Indonesian presidential election candidate Prabowo Subianto.

Biography

Rosario was born in the 1960s in the Portuguese Timor, growing up during the chaotic era in the backdrop of the Indonesian invasion of East Timor (1975—1976) and the subsequent occupation by the Indonesian national army. [1] He first made contact with the Indonesian army through colonel Gatot Purwanto around 1975. [2] He was then orphaned in 1978 after his parents were killed in a bombing hitting the town of Ainaro. Since then, he was incorporated as a courier who provided logistical assistance to the Indonesian special forces, Kopassus under the Tenaga Bantuan Operasi (TBO) program. [1] [3] "Hercules" was a code name given to Rosario by the Kopassus' radio communication team. [2]

During his year as a TBO personnel, Hercules was involved in a skirmish with the Falintil pro-independence resistance. His helicopter crashed during the fighting, leading to him losing his right eye and right hand. Hercules was then taken to Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital in Jakarta for operation. [2] Hercules thanked Prabowo Subianto, who was serving a commander of Nanggala commando units, for the support he received during this time. Hercules is known for having "unwavering" loyalty toward Prabowo since then. [3]

Since the late 1980s, Hercules settled in Jakarta along with several East Timorese youths, given a job of electrical parts engineer. He soon abandoned the job, moving to the commercial district of Tanah Abang after switching jobs. After settling in Tanah Abang, he formed a preman gang along with the fellow Timorese migrants, including Logo Vallenberg and Alfredo Monteiro Pires. [2] He then immediately succeed to build his enterprise through racketeering and pimping businesses. He also carried out political extortion on behalf of the Indonesian army, to weed out and intimidate pro-independence Timorese movements in Jakarta. [3]

His preman empire collapsed in the late 1990s after some of the members of the Hercules gang refused to participate in the pro-integration rally. Since then, his gang lost military protection, and Prabowo allowed other preman gangs to take over Tanah Abang underground. He was dethroned after brutal fighting against Betawi and Madurese gangs, led by figures such as Bang Ucu and Abraham Lunggana. [1] [3]

After being overthrown from the Tanah Abang underworld, he rebuilt his reputation through debt collecting and security businesses. He owned multiple lands as well as agricultural and fishery businesses, turning him into akin to philanthropist figure. He was a respected figure among the migrants from East Indonesia, providing newcomers jobs, networks as well and protections. He remained in rivalry against other organized crime figures as well, including John Kei and Basri Sangaji. Since 2008, Prabowo reapproached Hercules after founding the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party. A social organization called the Peoples Movement for a New Indonesia (GRIB) was established in 2011 by Hercules to mobilize his network of preman gangsters, local strongmen, religious vigilante groups, and ex-militia for the grassroots level political support toward Prabowo. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kopassus</span> Special forces unit of the Indonesian Army

The Kopassus is an Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) special forces group that conducts special operations missions for the Indonesian government, such as direct action, unconventional warfare, sabotage, counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism, intelligence gathering and special reconnaissance (SR). Kopassus was founded by Alexander Evert Kawilarang and Mochammad Idjon Djanbi on 16 April 1952. It gained worldwide attention after several operations such as the Indonesian invasion of East Timor and the release of hostages from Garuda Indonesia Flight 206.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prabowo Subianto</span> President of Indonesia since 2024

Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo is an Indonesian politician, businessman, and retired army general serving as the eighth president of Indonesia since 20 October 2024. He was previously the 26th minister of defense under president Joko Widodo from 2019 to 2024. Prabowo is Indonesia's third president to have a military background after Suharto and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). Described as a right-wing nationalist, he is the first president to not have a first spouse, as well as the president with the least number of children (one).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anton Medan</span> Indonesian criminal (1957–2021)

Anton Medan, or Haji Muhammad Ramdhan Effendi, birth name Tan Hok Liang, born in Tebing Tinggi, was an Indonesian former robber and gambling tycoon who converted to Islam and became a preacher in 1992. He later established a mosque, Masjid Jami' Tan Hok Liang, in Pondok Rajeg, Cibinong, Bogor. Prior to his conversion to Islam, he grew up amid the dark politics of Indonesia. It was during Suharto's New Order rule when gangsters were used in politics, business and government agencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anies Baswedan</span> Indonesian politician (born 1969)

Anies Rasyid Baswedan is an Indonesian academic, activist, and politician who served as the Governor of Jakarta from 2017 to 2022. A student activist and political analyst before entering public service, he served as the Rector of Paramadina University before being appointed to be Minister of Education and Culture in Joko Widodo administration. He is also the founder of Indonesia Mengajar, a program that selects, trains, and assigns university graduates to serve in a one-year teaching mission across the country. He is the grandson of nationalist, journalist, and freedom fighter Abdurrahman Baswedan, and the cousin of Novel Baswedan. He was a candidate for President of Indonesia in the 2024 election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gatot Soebroto</span> Indonesian general (1907–1962)

General Gatot Soebroto was an Indonesian general who began his military career with the Royal Dutch East Indies Army (KNIL) and rose to be deputy Army chief-of-staff.

Preman is a term for Indonesian organized crime groups, encompassing street level criminals up through crime bosses. Premans are often perceived negatively throughout Indonesian society due to associations with violence and criminality. This root word is derived from a term which describes the "confluence of state power and criminality". However, organized crime in Indonesia has a more enduring and complicated history, as the confluence of crime syndicates with perceived legitimate political authority has a history extending as far back as the Mataram Kingdom. While associated with brigandage and theft, Indonesian crime syndicates have periodically acted as enforcers to maintain authority and order. The roles of the jago or jawara were particularly important during the Indonesian Revolution, as they often adopted political roles that helped consolidating the power of local authorities. Despite their significance to Indonesian history, syndicates are universally marginalized due to associations with violence and social illegitimacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachmawati Sukarnoputri</span> Indonesian lawyer and politician (1949–2021)

Diah Permana Rachmawati Sukarnoputri was an Indonesian politician. Her father was Indonesia's founding president Sukarno and her elder sister is Megawati Sukarnoputri, who was Indonesia's fifth president.

The Mapenduma hostage crisis began on January 8th 1996 after the Free Papua Movement took 26 members of a World Wildlife Fund research mission captive at Mapenduma, Jayawijaya in Irian Jaya, Indonesia. The hostages were subsequently moved to Geselama. The International Committee of the Red Cross acted as an intermediary between the OPM and the Indonesian authorities. Fifteen hostages, all of Indonesian nationality, were released relatively quickly, but eleven remained in OPM hands. After lengthy negotiations, the ICRC secured an agreement for the release of the remaining hostages on May 8th. However, the OPM leader, Kelly Kwalik, backed out of the agreement on the day of the intended release. The ICRC removed itself from the negotiations and stated that the Indonesian Army was no longer bound by an agreement not to engage in combat with the hostage takers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1997–98 activists kidnappings in Indonesia</span> Disappearances of pro-democracy activists

The 1997–1998 activists kidnappings were abductions of pro-democracy activists which happened between the 1997 Indonesian Legislative Election and the fall of Suharto in 1998. The kidnappings took place in three different phases: before the May 1997 Indonesian legislative elections, two months before the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) session in March 1998 and in the period just before Soeharto's 21 May resignation. None of those abducted during the first and third period have reappeared. Some of the activists who were abducted in the second period have openly spoken about their experiences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan</span> Indonesian politician (born 1947)

Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan is an Indonesian politician, businessman, and retired four-star Army general who has been serving as Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment since October 2019. He previously served in various posts in his political career, including the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs from July 2016 to October 2019, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs from August 2015 to July 2016, and Chief of Staff to President Joko Widodo. He was also Minister of Trade and Industry in President Abdurrahman Wahid's cabinet and Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore from 1999 to 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gatot Nurmantyo</span> Indonesian general (born 1960)

General (Ret.) Gatot Nurmantyo is a retired Indonesian Army general who was commander (Panglima) of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) from 8 July 2015 until 8 December 2017. Previously, he was the 30th Army Chief of Staff from 25 July 2014 after being appointed by President Yudhoyono to replace General Budiman. From 2013 to 2014, he was Commander of Army Strategic Command (Kostrad), replacing Lieutenant General Muhammad Munir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muchdi Purwopranjono</span> Indonesian politician and former major general

Major General (Ret.) Muchdi Purwopranjono is an Indonesian politician and former major general who served briefly as chief of the Indonesian Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) and was former deputy head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN). He was relieved of command duties in 1998 after the fall of Soeharto and was subsequently deemed responsible for abductions of pro-democracy activists. In 2008, he was acquitted of commissioning and assisting in the 2004 assassination of human rights campaigner Munir, following a trial deemed flawed by human rights organizations. He is presently the leader of a breakaway faction of Tommy Soeharto’s Berkarya Party and his leadership is recognized by the government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abraham Lunggana</span> Indonesian politician and businessman (1959–2021)

Abraham Lunggana, popularly known as Lulung or Haji Lulung, was an Indonesian politician and businessman who was a member of the People's Representative Council and was the deputy speaker of Jakarta Council.

Protesting and riots took place on 21 and 22 May 2019 in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, mainly around the Tanah Abang district of Central Jakarta and in West Jakarta. The unrest followed former general Prabowo Subianto's refusal to accept defeat in the 2019 Indonesian presidential election to incumbent President Joko Widodo, also known as Jokowi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edhy Prabowo</span> Indonesian politician

Edhy Prabowo is an Indonesian politician from the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra). He served as Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries from October 2019 until his arrest for alleged corruption in November 2020. He has served as Chairperson of Commission IV of the House of Representatives and was chair of the Gerindra Faction there from 2014–2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bambang Kristiono</span> Indonesian politician (1960–2023)

Bambang Kristiono was an Indonesian military officer and politician of the Gerindra Party who served as a member of the People's Representative Council from 2019 until his death in 2023. He previously served in Kopassus, Indonesia's special forces, and was arrested during the early years of the post-Suharto era for his involvement in kidnapping political activists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muhammad Herindra</span> Deputy defense minister of Indonesia (born 1964)

Muhammad Herindra is a retired Indonesian general and the current Chief of the State Intelligence Agency, a position he has held since October 2024. He previously served as the Deputy Minister of Defence from December 2020 to October 2024 under President Joko Widodo and Minister Prabowo Subianto. Herindra previously served various roles in the military, such as the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, Inspector General of the Armed Forces, and Commanding General of Kopassus, Indonesia's elite special forces unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teddy Indra Wijaya</span> Cabinet secretary of Indonesia (born 1989)

Major Teddy Indra Wijaya, commonly known as Mayor (Major) Teddy, is a mid-ranking officer in the Indonesian Army who serves as the Cabinet Secretary of Indonesia in the Red White Cabinet under President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka since 21 October 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin</span> Indonesian politician (born 1952)

Lieutenant General (Ret.) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin is an Indonesian military officer and politician serving as the 27th minister of defense since 2024. From 2010 to 2014, he served as deputy minister of defense. He once was Suharto's bodyguard and one of his most loyal confidant until his downfall and also an old friend of Indonesia's current president Prabowo Subianto, who was his classmate at a military academy.

Dora Marie Sigar was an Indonesian nurse, activist, and homemaker.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Kisah Klasik Hercules, Tentara, dan Preman. Tirto. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Fakta Sangar Hercules, Preman Ganas yang Pernah Ditakuti Seantero Jakarta. Boombastis. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Wilson, Ian. (2014). The perils of loyalty. New Mandala. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.