Bogorlab in Social Responsibility
Monday 29 June 2020
By: Dahlan Iskan
This is my first guest at DI’s Way’s new office in Surabaya: the district head has 36 companies. He started the company group since he was in the third grade of high school.
Now he is only 40 years old. Handsome. Rich.
That is the Regent of Nganjuk, East Java.
He became regent because he was annoyed: how come his hometown was not moving forward. He left his company. He handed management to professionals. “I give them shares. In order to feel more ownership, “said Novi Rahman Hidhayat, the regent.
Prior to politics, he withdrew all his family from the company. So that professional management is not disturbed by family influence.
Regent Novi has a nickel mine, coal, 120 rural credit banks, and many more.
He left his salary as regent to the people’s welfare institution. He didn’t use the official cars of the regent. All civil servants must pay zakat – the results of which are managed by the team to overcome poverty.
Every Friday he moves mosque: preaching. After Friday meeting the community around the mosque. Novi find out if there are still houses that are not livable. With the zakat fund, the house was restored.
When the houses are new, Novi goes to the mosque again. Bring a cone. As a sign of inauguration. One house one cone. The cone photo was raised. Installed in a new home.
That happens almost every Friday. Over the past two years.
Novi also changed Labor Day in Nganjuk. Become more spiritual. Than is usually more tense. Every where.
On the night before Labor Day (May 1), Novi held a large-scale sema’an. A kind of istosah. Its location in the village of labor heroes: Marsinah.
Marsinah’s tomb is indeed in Nganjuk. The woman was killed as a martyr in the New Order era. It was near the tomb that sema’an grand was held.
The next day, May 1, held Haul Marsinah. Throughout Nganjuk. The event: Khataman Alquran in mosques. That day there were no demonstrations or labor marches in the district.
As the owner of 36 companies, with a total of 40,000 employees, Novi is accustomed to making quick decisions. At first the bureaucracy was difficult to catch up with.
End of 2018, after a few months in office he showed the speed of movement. On the last day of December, he gathered the heads of services. Some thought it was for the New Year’s Eve celebration.
It turned out that Novi gave an unusual new year’s “gift”: 18 department heads were replaced. Valid starting that new year’s eve too.
January 1 the next day, Novi step on the gas. The new bureaucracy is like company managers.
Novi wants to immediately open an industrial area. The first was in the entire Kediri residency. The extent of 600 hectares – for the first stage.
He does not want to lose momentum: the Surabaya-Jakarta toll road is almost ready. At that time. Passing Nganjuk. It would be precise if there was an industrial area near the toll road.
He set the location of the industrial area. Permission must be fast. The setup must be fast.
The price of land in Nganjuk is still cheaper than the area around Surabaya. The distance to the port of Tanjung Perak is also less than 2 hours – thanks to the toll road.
Within a year the area was ready. Like lightning. Now more than 60 companies have entered the industrial estate.
Novi also built a “granary RW”. Each RT leader becomes the head of a business unit for his citizens. Especially farmers.
In every RW there are always empty houses. What a generation of children and grandchildren left to the city. The empty house is used as a warehouse. For rent.
One village farmer hands the grain to the RW pack. To be stored in the warehouse earlier.
Mr. RW is the one who processed it to become big. Then sell it.
After selling, Mr. RW pays the farmers. With prices 10 percent higher than market prices. Farmers get better prices.
I do not want to write this question in full. Never trusted. I (or reporter’s DI Way) must first explore the success rate itself. In the near future.
It feels like Nganjuk will be like Banyuwangi – whose progress is very fast. Novi has the potential to become the successful Azwar Anas – Banyuwangi Regent.
Both NU students. The PDI-Perjuangan also are nominated. You are equally young. Only Novi is richer in wealth. Anas is richer in political experience.
In his life Novi never entered the organization. When they were students or even students did not join IPNU or PMII.
After SMPN 1 Nganjuk Novi was asked by her mother to continue to the cottage. Novi enters Darul Ulum, Peterongan, Jombang.
In “Pondok Bintang Sembilan” there are not only madrasa. There are also Featured High Schools. Namely the high school BPPT project Alm Prof. BJ Habibie. That’s where Novi goes to school. Which if graduated can go directly to the Indonesian Institute of Technology.
During the second year of high school the classroom was upstairs. The lower floor is used for junior high school. Every time he came down from the top floor his eyes stumbled into the eyes of a middle school student downstairs.
Fall in love.
Fall in love.
A friend of hers became a courier with her correspondence from a native Jakarta high school student. Use the old way: through the exchange of textbooks – which contain love letters.
“While waiting for the textbook containing love letters, the flutter is not playing,” Novi remembers.
Love letters that he kept until now. He put it in the money safe. Locked to death with a combination secret key.
That is his first and last love. They married after the high school graduate student – and Novi had not graduated with a degree in economics from Brawijaya University. He did not enter ITI because he had started a business.
In Darul Ulum Novi gets three ‘i’: diploma, wife, and infusion. While at school Novi can still make money: buy used plastic. For sale to plastic ore processing plants.
When the third grade of high school increased into the plastic ore trade.
While studying, Novi continued to develop her business. All of that was inspired by his father: the businessman of agricultural products, livestock, and trade services.
Now the father does not do business anymore. Completely migrate to other fields: take care of the pesantren which he established in Kediri. The students do not need to pay: kindergarten, elementary school, Ibtidaiyah, Aliyah, and vocational school.
In Nganjuk the Novi company has 2,000 employees. It was they – in 2017 – who were mobilized to raise their candidacy ratings as regents.
Those who put up 6,500 more large posters in all RTs in Nganjuk.
The contents of the poster are very simple: a photo of him in a white hem shirt and black skullcap. Not much writing on the poster. It reads only: Mas Novi, Candidate for Regent.
There is no jargon, motto or titles. He applies the marketing principles.
The result: Novi’s popularity suddenly skyrocketed, 70 percent. From before only 8 percent.
The parties are after him. Especially PDI-Perjuangan and PKB. Novi’s high rating makes it unnecessary to look for parties. The political vehicle came alone.
He did not need to pay dowry to the PDI-Perjuangan for anything. Not to PKB either. His father was familiar with the main kiai in the PKB.
It’s just that he must hold PDI-Perjuangan cadres as representatives.
His work is very real. The results of the love letter in the textbook are also real: five children are born. The oldest is studying in Yemen. In Darul Mustofa in the City of Tarim.
There he entered the pesantren which belonged to his own ancestor – from the path of Novi’s wife.
The second and third women. Both entered Umar Said’s vocational school sponsored by Djarum in Kudus. The fourth is still tsanawiyah (SMP). And the fifth, still elementary school. Both in Nganjuk.
All his children were memorizing the Koran – following his mother who also memorized the Koran.
“You memorized the Koran too?” I asked Novi.
“I memorized the money,” joked Novi. (Dahlan Iskan)
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Senin 29 June 2020
Oleh : Dahlan Iskan
Inilah tamu pertama saya di kantor baru Harian DI’s Way di Surabaya: bupati yang punya 36 perusahaan. Grup perusahaan itu ia rintis sejak masih kelas 3 SMA.
Kini umurnya baru 40 tahun. Ganteng. Kaya.
Itulah Bupati Nganjuk, Jawa Timur.
Ia jadi bupati karena gemes: kok kampung halamannya tidak maju-maju. Ia tinggalkan perusahaannya. Ia serahkan manajemen ke para profesional. ”Saya beri mereka saham. Agar lebih merasa memiliki,” ujar Novi Rahman Hidhayat, sang bupati.
Sebelum ke politik semua keluarganya ia tarik dari perusahaan. Agar manajemen profesional tidak terganggu pengaruh keluarga.
Bupati Novi punya tambang nikel, batubara, 120 bank perkreditan rakyat, dan banyak lagi.
Gajinya sebagai bupati ia serahkan ke lembaga kesejahteraan rakyat. Mobil-mobil dinas bupati tidak ada yang ia pakai. Semua pegawai negeri harus membayar zakat –yang hasilnya dikelola tim untuk mengatasi kemiskinan.
Tiap Jumat ia pindah masjid: khotbah. Usai Jumatan bertemu masyarakat di sekitar masjid. Novi mencari tahu apakah masih ada rumah yang tidak layak huni. Dengan dana zakat itu rumah tersebut dipugar.
Kalau rumah-rumah itu sudah baru, Novi ke masjid itu lagi. Membawa tumpeng. Sebagai tanda peresmian. Satu rumah satu tumpeng. Foto tumpengan itu dibesarkan. Dipasang di rumah baru.
Itu terjadi nyaris setiap Jumat. Selama dua tahun terakhir.
Novi juga mengubah Hari Buruh di Nganjuk. Menjadi lebih spiritual. Dari yang biasanya lebih tegang. Di mana-mana.
Di malam sebelum Hari Buruh (1 Mei), Novi mengadakan sema’an besar-besaran. Semacam istIghosah. Lokasinya di kampung pahlawan buruh: Marsinah.
Makam Marsinah memang di di Nganjuk. Wanita itu terbunuh sebagai martir di zaman Orde Baru. Di dekat makam itulah sema’an akbar dilangsungkan.
Keesokan harinya, tanggal 1 Mei, diadakan Haul Marsinah. Di seluruh Nganjuk. Acaranya: khataman Alquran di masjid-masjid. Hari itu tidak ada demo atau pawai buruh di kabupaten itu.
Sebagai pemilik 36 perusahaan, dengan total karyawan 40.000 orang, Novi terbiasa membuat keputusan cepat. Mula-mula birokrasinya sulit mengejar.
Akhir 2018, setelah beberapa bulan menjabat ia tunjukkan kecepatan geraknya. Di hari terakhir bulan Desember, ia kumpulkan kepala-kepala dinas. Ada yang mengira itu untuk ikut perayaan malam tahun baru.
Ternyata Novi memberi ”hadiah” tahun baru yang tidak biasa: 18 kepala dinas diganti. Berlaku mulai malam tahun baru itu juga.
Tanggal 1 Januari keesokan harinya, Novi tancap gas. Birokrasi barunya sudah seperti para manajer perusahaan.
Novi ingin segera membuka kawasan industri. Yang pertama di seluruh karesidenan Kediri. Luasnya 600 hektare –untuk tahap pertama.
Ia tidak mau kehilangan momentum: jalan tol Surabaya-Jakarta sudah hampir jadi. Saat itu. Melewati Nganjuk. Alangkah tepatnya kalau ada kawasan industri di dekat jalan tol itu.
Ia tetapkan lokasi kawasan industri itu. Perizinannya harus cepat. Penyiapannya harus lekas.
Harga tanah di Nganjuk masih lebih murah dari wilayah di sekitar Surabaya. Jarak ke pelabuhan Tanjung Perak juga kurang dari 2 jam –berkat jalan tol.
Dalam waktu setahun kawasan itu sudah jadi. Seperti afdruk kilat. Kini sudah lebih 60 perusahaan masuk kawasan industri itu.
Novi juga membangun ”lumbung RW”. Setiap ketua RT menjadi pimpinan unit bisnis untuk warganya. Khususnya petani.
Di setiap RW selalu ditemukan rumah kosong. Yang ditinggal generasi anak-cucu ke kota. Rumah kosong itu dijadikan gudang. Disewa.
Petani satu kampung menyerahkan gabah ke pak RW. Untuk disimpan di gudang tadi.
Pak RW-lah yang mengolahnya menjadi besar. Lalu menjualnya.
Setelah laku Pak RW membayar ke petani. Dengan harga 10 persen lebih tinggi dari harga pasar. Petani memperoleh harga lebih baik.
Saya belum mau menulis soal ini secara lengkap. Jangan dulu dipercaya. Saya (atau wartawan DI’s Way) harus lebih dulu menelusuri sendiri tingkat keberhasilannya. Dalam waktu dekat.
Rasanya Nganjuk akan bisa seperti Banyuwangi –yang majunya cepat sekali. Novi punya potensi menjadi Azwar Anas –Bupati Banyuwangi yang sukses itu.
Dua-duanya santri NU. Sama-sama pula dicalonkan oleh PDI-Perjuangan. Sama-sama mudanya. Hanya Novi lebih kaya harta. Anas lebih kaya pengalaman politik.
Dalam hidupnya Novi tidak pernah masuk organisasi. Waktu masih pelajar atau mahasiswa pun tidak ikut IPNU atau PMII.
Selepas SMPN 1 Nganjuk Novi diminta ibunya melanjutkan ke pondok. Novi pun masuk Darul Ulum, Peterongan, Jombang.
Di ”Pondok Bintang Sembilan” itu tidak hanya ada madrasah. Ada juga SMA Unggulan. Yakni SMA proyek BPPT-nya Alm Prof BJ Habibie. Ke situlah Novi sekolah. Yang kalau tamat bisa langsung ke Institut Teknologi Indonesia.
Waktu kelas 2 SMA itu ruang kelasnya di lantai atas. Lantai bawah digunakan untuk SMP. Setiap kali turun dari lantai atas matanya terantuk pandang mata seorang siswi SMP di lantai bawah.
Jatuh cinta.
Seorang temannya menjadi kurir surat-menyuratnya dengan siswi SMP asli Jakarta itu. Pakai cara lama: lewat pertukaran buku pelajaran –yang berisi surat cinta.
”Waktu menunggu buku pelajaran berisi surat cinta itu berdebarnya bukan main,” ujar Novi mengenang.
Surat-surat cinta itu ia simpan sampai sekarang. Ia taruh di brankas uang. Dikunci mati dengan kunci rahasia kombinasi.
Itulah cinta pertama dan terakhirnya. Mereka menikah setelah si siswi tamat SMA –dan Novi belum lulus sarjana ekonomi di Universitas Brawijaya. Ia tidak jadi masuk ITI karena sudah mulai berbisnis.
Di Darul Ulum Novi mendapat tiga ‘i’ : ijazah, istri, dan infus. Sambil sekolah Novi masih bisa cari uang: membeli plastik bekas. Untuk dijual ke pabrik pengolahan biji plastik.
Saat kelas tiga SMA meningkat menjadi dagang bijih plastik.
Sambil kuliah pun Novi terus mengembangkan bisnisnya. Semua itu terinspirasi dari ayahnya: pengusaha hasil bumi, ternak, dan jasa perdagangan.
Kini sang ayah tidak berbisnis lagi. Hijrah sepenuhnya ke bidang lain: mengurus pesantren yang didirikannya di Kediri. Yang siswanya tidak perlu membayar: TK, SD, Ibtidaiyah, Aliyah, dan SMK.
Di Nganjuk perusahaan Novi memiliki 2.000 karyawan. Merekalah –di tahun 2017–yang dikerahkan untuk menaikkan rating pencalonannya sebagai bupati.
Mereka itu yang memasang 6.500 lebih poster besar di semua RT di Nganjuk.
Isi poster sangat simple: foto dirinya dengan baju hem putih dan kopiah hitam. Tidak banyak tulisan di poster itu. Bunyinya hanya: Mas Novi, Calon Bupati.
Tidak ada jargon, motto atau pun gelar-gelar. Prinsip-prinsip marketing ia jalankan.
Hasilnya: popularitas Novi tiba-tiba melangit, 70 persen. Dari sebelumnya hanya 8 persen.
Partai-partai pun mengincarnya. Terutama PDI-Perjuangan dan PKB. Tingginya rating Novi membuat ia tidak perlu mencari partai. Kendaraan politik itu datang sendiri.
Ia sama sekali tidak perlu membayar mahar ke PDI-Perjuangan. Tidak juga ke PKB. Ayahnya akrab dengan kiai-kiai utama di PKB.
Hanya saja ia harus menggandeng kader PDI-Perjuangan sebagai wakil.
Hasil kerjanya sangat nyata. Hasil surat cinta di dalam buku pelajarannya pun nyata: anaknya lima orang. Yang tertua kuliah di Yaman. Di Darul Mustofa di Kota Tarim.
Di sana ia masuk pesantren milik leluhurnya sendiri itu –dari jalur istri Novi.
Yang kedua dan ketiga wanita. Dua-duanya masuk SMK animasi Umar Said yang disponsori Djarum di Kudus. Yang keempat masih tsanawiyah (SMP). Dan yang kelima, masih SD. Dua-duanya di Nganjuk.
Semua anaknya itu lagi menghafal Alquran –ikut ibunya yang juga hafal Alquran.
”Anda hafal Alquran juga?” tanya saya kepada Novi.
”Saya hafal fulus,” gurau Novi.(Dahlan Iskan)