Winged Bull Versus Garuda

A De Havilland Beaver aircraft had just landed at Kemayoran Airport, Jakarta. The fuselage was painted in white, red, and green, proudly showcasing the airline name, "Pioneer Aviation Corporation". Two passengers got off the plane.

Accompanied by his wife, R.A. Masturah, Adnan Kapau (A.K.) Gani was overjoyed. In front of the crowd, the smartly dressed Gani delivered a short speech, which was followed by another one from a Ministry of Transportation official.

"It's not that difficult. It's not difficult to increase the number of planes from three to thirty, or from thirty to a thousand. What is difficult is evolving from one to three, and even more difficult, from none to one,” said Gani on the occasion.

Gani had all the rights to be happy. After struggling for a year and a half, Pioneer Aviation Corporation (PAC) finally obtained their operation permit from the government and became the second national airline, as well as the first private airline in Indonesia. That Friday afternoon, 27 February 1953, PAC was introduced to the public for the first time.

Several journalists boarded the Beaver, an aircraft with a capacity of six passengers. In the cockpit, David Forman Fowler operated the engine instruments. The aircraft took off shortly. In the air, Fowler showed off his plane driving skills that made the passengers' stomachs churn.

Later in the evening, a reception was held at des Indes Hotel, Jakarta. After a remark from R. Soegoto, head of the Civil Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transportation, Gani spoke about the economic development aspects in Indonesia and the company he founded. He disclosed that the biggest obstacle faced by PAC was getting a permit from the government, but as the hardship had been overcome, he believed there would only be tremendous progress in the future for Pioneer.

"We're counting on the help and support from the people in Indonesia and abroad for Pioneer Aviation Corporation, so we can make a great contribution," Gani said.

"We believe that from now on, the Winged Bull (which is heavier than the air) will gloriously fly in the sky above Indonesia."

Behind the Pioneer

A.K. Gani was someone with an excellent record in various departments; he was a doctor, activist, politician, film actor, military figure, and a businessman. In addition to that long list, he also held several important positions, such as deputy prime minister, minister of welfare, and the military governor of South Sumatra.

Gani was accustomed to dealing with difficult matters. During the revolution era, he smuggled opium and weapons for the struggle, giving him the nickname "King of Smugglers" and "The Great Smuggler of Southeast Asia". His smuggling network spanned from port and coastal cities on Sumatra and Java to Singapore, Penang, Bangkok, Manila and Hong Kong. On one of his trips to Manila, he met David Fowler, a Texas-born pilot who had an extensive career in aviation.

After passing a training as an aircraft technician and taking the pilot's license, Fowler flew over the Pacific, Australia, and Southeast Asia during World War II. While working as a pilot for Pacific Overseas Airways Siam Limited (POAS) that was based in Bangkok, he carried out dangerous missions that required him to break through the Dutch blockade in order to help Indonesia's struggle. Later on, Fowler became an aviation consultant to the Indonesian government.

Both Gani and Fowler shared a similar view: Indonesia's vast territory is in need of efficient connecting transportation. From that, they agreed to co-found an airline.

According to G.I. Priyanti Gani (58) or better known as Yanti, A.K. Gani's niece who was later adopted by him and now becomes the head of Dr. A.K. Gani Museum in Palembang, there were several other goals they're pursuing. Gani wanted Sumatra to be able to transport crops by plane, and more importantly, "first, to rival KLM (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij), and second, to prevent the monopoly of Garuda."

To realize those goals, Gani invited Abundjani, one of his colleagues during the revolution who was a former military commander in Jambi but eventually chose the path as a businessman. Abundjani was the director of NV Handel Maatschappij Masurai, an import-export company with a head office on Jalan Batanghari Jambi and a main branch office on Jalan Kongsi Tiga Jakarta.

Besides Abundjani, Gani also cooperated with wealthy merchants from Sumatra such as August Musin Dasaad, a Sulu Philippines-born conglomerate from Lampung who was the director of Dasaad Musin Concern in Jakarta, and a group of businessmen who were members of Indonesian Trade Union Company (Persdi) in Padang.

The business relationship between Gani and Dasaad had been established for quite some time. In 1946, Gani was involved in Banking and Trading Company (BTC), a government-founded company at which Gani and Dasaad worked together.

In the same year, Gani founded Nusantara Malaya-Singapore Company (Namsoco), which later changed its name to Sumatra Banking and Trading Corporation (SBTC). SBTC had previously worked with Persdi, which was also part of the Dasaad Moesin Concern.

“The rich people from several regions came together to set up a (airline) business," said Yanti.

With a capital of Rp4 million, they established an airline on 2 August 1951. The registration took place at the Notary Office of Mr. Nicolaas Auguts Mispelblom (N.A.M) van Altena on Jalan Nusantara 34 Jakarta. Abundjani became a proxy for Gani who was unable to attend, as well as representing Masurai. Meanwhile, Persdi was represented by merchant Nasroen Angkat Soetan.

In its articles of association, Pioneer intended to operate flights in Indonesia and abroad; conduct aircraft service, maintenance and inspection; develop aviation schools and associations; operate charter flights; and rent and build flying machines.

On 10 August 1951, A.F. Schut from the Notary Office who became Pioneer's attorney-in-fact submitted a permit application to the government.

However, the application was rejected due to the exclusion of the board of directors in its deed of establishment. Pioneer's board of directors, which actually had been formed by then, was omitted in the deed of establishment because there was no agreement yet between the founders.

As a result, Gani and the other founders gathered at the Notary Office on 29 October 1951 to appoint Abundjani and Fowler as directors; A.K. Gani, Dasaad, and Harmon as the commissioners; and A.K. Gani as the president commissioner. A report was then made, although nothing was known about Harmon.

In the deed of establishment, it was only stated that Fowler was elected as a representative for the shareholders of stock B (which can only be owned by foreigners), while the others represented the shareholders of stock A (which can only be owned by Indonesians). All of them, except for Harmon who was not present at the meeting, accepted their respective appointment.

Despite the revision of the deed of establishment, Pioneer still had to go through the dark cloud of adversity as the government refused to grant the permit. The founders were then gathered for a meeting at Dasaad's office.

“What should we do?” Dasaad asked Gani, who replied, "we keep on fighting."

The Monopoly of GIA

THURSDAY night, 15 November 1951. At a press conference, David Fowler as the technical managing director of Pioneer mentioned the government's rejection over Pioneer's permit application, which was informed a day before the conference by Vice President Mohammad Hatta to A.K. Gani.

This refusal, according to Fowler, was because of an agreement between the Indonesian government and KLM, an airline company owned by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, regarding the establishment of Garuda Indonesia Airways (GIA); a contract better known as the "GIA contract".

Fowler couldn't hide his disappointment. He believed that the government actually had the right to grant similar concessions, or even with more favorable terms, to a third party.

“We had complied with the conditions,” said Fowler, as quoted by Java Bode on 16 November 1951, “but the hesitation on this matter is evident from the responses to our recurrent requests for a permit, which were eventually formally rejected for 'political reasons'.”

Fowler also said that the Netherlands was trying to maintain its monopoly, which clearly threatened Indonesia's sovereignty and security. "It is rare how a foreign company represents the civil aviation of a sovereign country."

GIA was established by the Indonesian government (then United Republic of Indonesia) and KLM on 31 March 1950. According to John Orval Sutter in Indonesianization: Politics in a Changing Economy, 1940-1955, under the Financial and Economic Agreement reached at The Hague in the Netherlands, pre-war concessions were still recognized. However, instead of the old concessions, it was agreed to grant concessions for 30 years and monopoly rights to GIA.

The two parties also agreed to divide the stocks, under the condition that the Indonesian government would have the right to acquire a majority stake after 10 years. KLM carried out the operations while providing intensive training to prepare the Indonesian personnel. The position of GIA’s president director was entrusted to Emile van Konijnenburg.

The rejection over Pioneer's permit application wasn't groundless, as there was a clause in the GIA contract that forbade the government to grant concession for scheduled civil air transport services to a third party before consulting and reaching an agreement with GIA.

Nevertheless, Minister of Transportation Djuanda Kartawidjaja, who co-signed the GIA contract, denied Fowler's statement. "The refusal to grant flight concession to Pioneer Civil Aviation Company Ltd. was not at all based on the agreement between the government and KLM, but on the policies followed by the Ministry of Transportation," said Djuanda at a press conference, as quoted by Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra on 19 November 1951.

The refusal was also most likely based on the consideration that the competition could harm GIA. However, Djuanda dismissed the notion of the GIA monopoly. The government, Djuanda said, could give concessions to other airlines as long as their condition was better and KLM was unable to maintain GIA in that condition. Djuanda also conveyed the government's plan to shorten the contract period with KLM.

Nearly a year had passed, yet Pioneer's permit was still up in the air. Gani and his colleagues refused to give up. They pivoted and decided to operate as an unscheduled airline which was indeed feasible. However, the GIA's monopoly proved to be a major obstacle for Pioneer in the long run.

The GIA contract included a clause which stated that the government would not grant concession for unscheduled civil air transport service to a third party before GIA was given the opportunity to submit their conditions. If these conditions were not approved, the minister would inform GIA about the conditions that the government could accept. If GIA could not accept those proposed conditions, the concession would not be awarded to the third party even with more favorable conditions than what GIA had proposed.

Pioneer's founders subsequently brought this issue to the Parliament's Department of Transportation. They argued that the contract which granted GIA a monopoly was unconstitutional because the Provisional Constitution of 1950 firmly refused any act of monopoly, as written by De Volksrant on 6 November 1952.

The government eventually changed its stance regarding Pioneer and was preparing to grant a permit for unscheduled flights.

Responding to the government's change in attitude, Abundjani as the managing director of Pioneer sent a letter on 15 November 1952 to Djuanda who replied with letter No. 813/418 dated 10 December 1952 which read: "the government of the Republic of Indonesia is willing to issue a permit to the limited liability company Pioneer Aviation Corporation after the company obtains an approval from the authorized official to carry out air transportation on a non-scheduled basis."

"The non-scheduled means that each permitted transportation will be limited on the basis of unscheduled service, and in granting the permit, the government must regard several conditions that exist because of an agreement between the government and KLM."

The founders of Pioneer then revised the company's articles of association at the Notary Office on 5 January 1953 with the newer version emphasizing the purpose of Pioneer's establishment as "striving, developing, and organizing civil aviation transport on the basis of non-scheduled service."

Changes were also made to the composition of the stock ownership, including a clause about the possibility of the Indonesian government owning a share of Pioneer's stocks.

Finally, after the revision of the articles of association was approved by the Ministry of Transportation, Pioneer obtained the Decree of the Minister of Justice dated 19 January 1953 No. J.A. 5/8/23.

<div class="my-slider1"><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/61af270884f7a0580d35618e/62bd9ac7b572c948d225af96_1.jpg"><div class="caption-slider">Dr. Adnan Kapau Gani delivered an acceptance speech during the inauguration party of Pioneer Aviation Corporation in Des Indes Hotel, Jakarta, 27 February 1953. (ANRI)</div></div><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/61af270884f7a0580d35618e/62bd9ac7ec3f0e06a1d66dc1_2.jpg"><div class="caption-slider">Dr. Adnan Kapau Gani welcomed the guests at the inauguration party of Pioneer Aviation Corporation at Des Indes Hotel, Jakarta, 27 February 1953. (ANRI)</div></div><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/61af270884f7a0580d35618e/62bd9ac7ecff6a12ea029e72_3.jpg"><div class="caption-slider">A.K. Gani delivered a speech during the inauguration party of Pioneer Aviation Corporation at Des Indes Hotel, Jakarta, 27 February 1953. (Java-Bode, 28 February 1953)</div></div></div>

Transporting Raw Materials

SHORTLY after obtaining the permit, Pioneer's management held a press conference. Reported by De Locomotief on 2 February 1953, A.K. Gani said his company would begin operating by March at the latest with Beachcraft and Beaver aircraft, serving flights to Jakarta, Serang, Tanjung Karang (Lampung), Bengkulu, and Padang.

Despite starting small, said Gani, they would prove that Indonesians are capable of managing an airline. At first, Pioneer aimed to serve local flights, but very soon they would expand to inter-island and international flights.

Meanwhile, Fowler stated that most of the work was carried out by their Indonesian personnel. The captain was the only foreigner there, while the rest were Indonesians. The number of aircraft would also be increased in the future.

In late February 1953, Pioneer was introduced to the public, made a "scenic flight" for the journalists, and held a reception at the des Indes Hotel, Jakarta. At last, the winged bull airline was ready to operate.

Why a winged bull as the emblem?

That Pioneer had a connection with the American-owned Pioneer Air Lines was a theory that was voiced by Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah or Hamka in his travel notes Empat Bulan di Amerika (1954).

In 1952, Hamka accepted an invitation from the American government, and on his way from New Mexico to Dallas, the state of Texas, he boarded Pioneer Air Lines. "When Dr. A. K. Gani founded the Pioneer airline here and used the bull symbol, I was  reminded of the Pioneer company in America, which also used a symbol of bull from ancient cows (bison) found in ancient carvings in America. The similarity in name and symbol will certainly raise people's suspicions too, whether this 'independent national' partnership is sponsored by the American partnership!” Hamka wrote.

However, it turned out that the resemblance was nothing more than a coincidence. Pioneer Air Lines was founded in 1939 under the name Essair, had its name changed to Pioneer Air Lines in 1946 and was later acquired by and joined Continental Airlines in 1955.

On the other hand, there were also a few people who associated the winged bull with A.K. Gani's political affiliation, Indonesian National Party (PNI) whose emblem was a bull. In addition, during his service as the military governor of South Sumatra, Gani made silver ringgit notes called "stabilization money" on which the design of a bull was used.

Regardless of the background story of the emblem's origin, Gani knew very well that the path of the winged bull would be arduous, and it would take courage, toughness, and an unyielding attitude like a bull to overcome the adversity.

To be able to operate, Pioneer must accept several strict conditions. Soegoto, head of the Civil Aviation Department, said that Pioneer was given a license to operate air transportation on the conditions that it didn’t compete with GIA. Pioneer was also only allowed to carry out activities that were not or had not been carried out by GIA. In other words, Pioneer could only perform “additional activities”. These conditions have been accepted by Pioneer, said Soegoto, as quoted by Java-Bode on 4 April 1953.

Furthermore, for each flight, Pioneer must request a permission from the Civil Aviation Department; a rule that, according to Soegoto, didn’t only apply to Pioneer but also to Caltex and Bataafsche Petroleum Maatschappij (BPM), for instance, which had their own planes. For safety reasons, Pioneer's equipment and pilots must also be approved by the Civil Aviation Department.

With a head office at Jalan Kongsi Tiga 14, Jakarta, Pioneer officially commenced its operation. The company raised additional capital by releasing its remaining stocks. Indonesian Malayan Trading Coy, Soetan Sjamsam Co., Suharto Jososudarmo, Soetopo and Kasman Singodimedjo took the ownership of stock A. Stock B, which largely had been taken by Fowler, was not yet sold, while the list of stock C's shareholders was even longer.

The aviation activity was finally carried out. In March 1953, a Beaver plane was chartered by Dasaad Moesin Concern to transport textiles from Kantjil Mas in Bangil, East Java, to Jakarta to fulfill government orders. In April, Pioneer held a scenic flight over the city of Medan, and later in September, it took part in celebrating the Indonesian Fair by opening a round-trip flight from Solo to Jakarta to facilitate the visitors of the Fair.

Even though Aceh's situation at that time was quite perilous, Pioneer made a flight from Medan to Kutaraja for government purposes. As quoted by Indonesia Raya on 28 September 1953, a true national airline must bear the responsibility of providing the maximum possible assistance to its government during an emergency.

In 1954, Pioneer opened flights from Jakarta to Lampung and Palembang, but the focus of the airline was to transport raw materials from Sumatra for export purposes.

In addition, Pioneer aircraft were regularly chartered for various needs. NV Karpi Bureau owned by Herling Laoh, former RIS minister of public works, chartered Pioneer for aerial monitoring over the swampland in Palembang where rice fields and irrigation would be built. The aircraft was also used by Paramount Films of Indonesia to drop flyers for its movie Shane and by Universal-International for the film The Mississippi Gambler.

"From Mr. D. F. Fowler, the man behind the wheel, we learned that PAC operates exclusive charter flights not only for film companies but also for the police and various ministries. The management of the Pioneer Aviation Corporation has been in discussion with the Ministry of Religious Affairs to carry out a hajj flight to Mecca this year," wrote Nieuwsgier on 28 April 1954.

The hajj transpo, which previously used only ships, was a great opportunity for Pioneer that cannot be missed.

The Hajj Flight

WITH the approval of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Pioneer offered the convenience of traveling to Mecca by plane, starting from 23 June 1953. Advertisements were placed in several newspapers, and those who were interested had to register before 15 July 1953 at the Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs for Hajj Affairs in Jakarta.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs itself issued Announcement No. 11 of 1953 concerning Hajj Travel by an Airplane in response to requests from many parties that aimed to obtain special permits (quota).

However, the Ministry of Religious Affairs had confirmed that there was no special quota and that the registration for hajj had been closed, but for those who had registered and were qualified, "work is being done so that their requests can be granted and they can wait for the confirmation."

Not surprisingly, another obstacle came their way, after Pioneer's attempt to open hajj flights wasn't approved by the Ministry of Transportation. The Ministry of Religious Affairs subsequently issued Announcement No. 13 of 1953 concerning the Cancellation of the Hajj Travel by Airplane, mentioning that GIA was unable to provide planes for hajj this year as the national airline barely had enough aircraft to fulfill the domestic needs. Pioneer expressed its willingness to help, "but asked for payment in dollars, which the government could not satisfy."

The Ministry of Religious Affairs advised the prospective pilgrims to use ships and contact the port's Indonesian Hajj Committee (PHI).

At a glance, it seemed like Pioneer was fighting a lost cause. However, the reality unfolded a different story afterward.

There were approximately 14,000 people registered for the hajj season in 1953. For the transportation, the government entrusted Inaco, one of the largest national shipping companies at the time. Inaco had prepared a number of ships that were either owned or chartered by them, such as Bintang Samudera, East Way, Mayon, Suriento, Djakarta Raya and Seven Seas.

Djakarta Raya and Seven Seas were the last ships set to transport the prospective pilgrims from East and Central Java. Due to tight schedules, the two ships were unable to pick the pilgrims up at the ports of Surabaya and Semarang. The government finally decided to use trains to transport them to Jakarta.

The group arrived in Jakarta on time and managed to board the ship docked at Tanjung Priok Port II.

On 27 July 1953, at around 6.15 p.m., a fire occurred in the engine room of the Seven Seas ship due to an electrical short circuit. The passengers panicked and scrambled off the ship to save themselves. Rukelah from Jombang, East Java, jumped into the sea and was later rescued and rushed to hospital unconscious and injured.

Around 7.30 p.m., the fire was finally extinguished.  All of the passengers, who came from East Java, survived with only several people suffering minor injuries. They stayed for a while at the warehouse XII belonging to SM Nederland (loods 10) at Tanjung Priok Port II, and were later transferred to PHI dormitories in Jakarta.

The departure of Seven Seas, a ship owned by Carribean Land & Shipping Corp from Switzerland with a Panama registration, was also postponed, causing more than a thousand prospective pilgrims to be stranded.

The government approached the Dutch high commissioner to arrange a mediation with the Dutch shipping company. As a result, Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij (KPM) provided a replacement ship called Camphuys, and the management was handed over to Kongsi Tiga.

A thousand people boarded Camphuys which departed for Jeddah on 29 July 1953 and arrived on time. However, there were still hundreds of others who were left uncertain.

The government was weighing on other alternatives. R.H. Soeriadilaga, head of the Ministry of Religious Affairs' Hajj Department, approached KLM, but the company couldn't support the government's decision on allowing travel to Jeddah using rupiah as the currency. He then came to GIA's headquarters but the answer was not much different: they couldn't help because there was a plane shortage to even fulfill the domestic needs. Ultimately, the government's last option was Pioneer.

On 30 July, an official from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Transportation asked for Pioneer's readiness in transporting the pilgrims that had to arrive in Jeddah before the midnight of 15 August.

Pioneer's management replied that they would exert all efforts to help the government. They then contacted Civil Air Transport (CAT), a Chinese-Nationalist airline in Taiwan, which was revealed later to be owned by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and had previously supported PRRI/Permesta in Sumatra. According to Alfred T. Cox in “Clandestine Services History Civil Air Transport (CAT) A Proprietary Airline 1946-1955", four C-46 aircraft were provided to accommodate the round-trip from Jakarta to Jeddah.

After the aircraft availability was confirmed, Pioneer's management informed the Ministry of Religious Affairs and agreed on taking the project. A meeting was subsequently held with officials from the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Religious Affairs, and Central PHI at the office of the Ministry of Transportation on 1 August at 10 a.m.

Reported by Indonesia Raya on 3 August 1953, the meeting was running for around one and a half hour, from which it was concluded that Pioneer would carry 285 prospective pilgrims; 277 were the pilgrims who were supposed to go with Seven Seas and six were those who had registered to go by plane. The two remaining seats were given to pilgrims from Central Java who got picked through a draw among those who didn't pay the hajj fee on time.

On 2 August, only 72 hours after the government requested help from Pioneer, two CAT aircraft arrived in Kemayoran. Two days later, the pilgrims were transported to Jeddah. The first plane departed Kemayoran at 8.30 a.m., while the second one was at 10 a.m. The Minister of Religious Affairs KH Masjkur was present at the send-off. Meanwhile, the last group of pilgrims departed on 11 August, and among the passengers were Soeriadilaga dan Djuanda, former Minister of Transportation.

"It was the first large-scale transportation of pilgrims to the Holy Land by a plane," wrote Indonesia Raya on 4 August 1953.

The hajj flight was a success. The pilgrims returned to the homeland safely. One of the CAT aircraft arrived at Kemayoran in late August 1953 carrying prominent figures such as Djuanda, head of Central Investigation Department Sosrodanukusumo, and Germania Soriadiradja from the Ministry of Transportation. They brought a big box of a rug gifted by King Ibnu Saud from Saudi Arabia to President Sukarno. Along with A.K. Gani, the gift was delivered to Sukarno.

To celebrate the success of the hajj flight, Pioneer's management placed an advertisement to thank all of the parties involved.

<div class="my-slider2"><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/61af270884f7a0580d35618e/62bea874d17b9159b16cf10a_10.jpg"><div class="caption-slider">The hajj departure situation at Kemayoran Airport Jakarta. (Mimbar Penerangan, Year IV No. 8, August 1953)</div></div><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/61af270884f7a0580d35618e/62bea87adf4e9351da7cb674_11.jpg"><div class="caption-slider">Minister of Religious Affairs KH Masjkur (center, wearing a suit) gave a welcome speech in front of the pilgrims and passengers of Pioneer Aviation Corporation in Kemayoran (ANRI).</div></div><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/61af270884f7a0580d35618e/62bea87e470c338252514079_Group%203972_1.jpg"><div class="caption-slider">Current situation at the former building of Kemayoran Airport in Central Jakarta. (Fernando Randy/Historia.ID)</div></div></div>

The Hajj Polemic

PIONEER'S hajj flight apparently caused further complications. The departure of the first flight, which took only 24 hours to be prepared, was delayed because Pioneer's didn't own necessary equipment such as table and scale.

The management had tried to borrow from KLM and GIA, but their request was turned down. The same went to their request for airstairs and porters, as well as assistance from KLM's agencies in the transit points. Fortunately, AURI's Air Transport Departement stepped in to help by lending airstairs and seven porters.

The mishaps surrounding Pioneer attracted the media's attention. Indonesia Raya on 5 August 1953 issued an editorial titled "Konijnenberg mau kemana?" (what is happening with Konijnenberg?) provoking KLM and GIA who went all the way to hinder the hajj flight "with excessive, irrational tricks." It contradicted the fact that Pioneer's hajj flight was fully supported by the government who owned the majority of GIA's stocks.

"Blinding by the fear of competition with Pioneer over the interests of the Dutch's aviation (KLM) in this nation, Konijnenberg in our opinion has overstepped the bounds!" wrote Indonesia Raya.

"The position of Konijnenberg and KLM in GIA is imperative to be reviewed and rectified immediately."

Various responses arose. Minister of Transportation Abikusno Tjokrosujoso said that the incident wouldn't happen if only Pioneer had established a contact with GIA before. J. H. Crans, KLM's chief representative in Indonesia, claimed that there was no request from Pioneer to give assistance in Kemayoran or anything related to their ground handling.

GIA’s management also stated that they were never asked for help from anyone at Pioneer. However, Konijnenburg, GIA's director, mentioned a request from Germania Soriadiradja from the Ministry of Transportation to provide assistance along the route traveled by Pioneer, which was difficult to fulfill due to limited time.

Abundjani reacted. He explained that on the first day of the hajj flight, Pioneer's side had visited a representative of GIA in Kemayoran to ask for an assistance, but the reply was that they had to obtain a permit from Konijnenburg first, and when asked further, they claimed that they didn’t have the authorization to provide any assistance to Pioneer.

GIA struck back by stating that "PAC has failed to take necessary measures on the most basic preparations to carry out the hajj flight", as quoted by Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra on 13 August 1953.

Sahetapy Engel, floor leader of the Parliament's Democrat Faction as well as the government commissioner in GIA, also jumped into the heated debate by accusing the government to breach the GIA contract by entrusting the hajj transportation to Pioneer without first offering or informing that matter to GIA; a statement that was later denied by the government. Sahetapy said that GIA was capable of transporting the pilgrims just like when it transported Pakistani ex-combatants to Karachi.

Sahetapy also criticized the government for committing an "unfriendly act" towards the neighboring country, People's Republic of China (PRC), because the aircraft chartered by Pioneer had a symbol of Formosa (Taiwan), PRC's enemy. Moreover, Taiwan was a country that was unrecognized by Indonesia.

Sahetapy also questioned the additional charge of £20 from £70 for every pilgrim. Regarding that, the government stated that the fund was allocated to back the payment to Pioneer for the hajj transportation by plane. "The additional charge was permitted by the government with approval from the involved parties (pilgrims) themselves," said the government in their answer to the general view of Parliament on 2 September 1953.

£70 was the living cost in Hijaz and the calculation was based on the estimation of the pilgrim's period of stay in the Holy Land for two months if they traveled by ship. If the travel was by plane, they would only stay there for one month, thus according to the calculation, £50 would be sufficient for a person.

Indonesia Raya newspaper reviled Sahetapy, an Ambonese politician that was a member of The State of East Indonesia's Parliament and RIS Parliament from Bijeenkomst voor Federale Overleg (BFO).

"Sahetapy Engel, who was very loyal to the Dutch, apparently isl unable to leave his old habit behind, and is willingly fighting for the interests of KLM (Netherlands) inside GIA," wrote Indonesia Raya on 29 August 1953 through its column "Mas Klujur", which also highlighted the transportation of the Pakistani ex-combatants.

At the time, Pioneer offered a charge of 195,000 rupiah with the conditions that they could only make the flight after completing the hajj flight. Due to the limited time, GIA was asked to help with a charge of no less than 600,000 rupiah.

Regarding the CAT aircraft, if only Sahetapy had the time to walk around Tanjung Priok, he would surely see cargo ships from Formosa with a Formosan flag raised on its deck. "Why doesn't Engel complain? Why doesn't Engel complain about the fact that Indonesia bought rice from Formosa? Maybe because in this case it didn't jeopardize the interest of KLM?"

Despite causing a controversy, the hajj flight was praised. Chief of Hajj Department at the Ministry of Religious Affairs R.H. Soeriadilaga said that the hajj transportation by plane was very practical and made the trip far more efficient. Although more improvement was due, as quoted by Indonesia Raya on 2 September 1953, he said that the service was satisfactory.

However, the dreams of many people to go on the pilgrimage by plane couldn't be realized until 1955 by GIA. Similar fate befell Pioneer and CAT's dream to bring in money.

CAT actually saw the prospect of the hajj flight in Indonesia, but, as Alfred T. Cox wrote, due to the obstinacy of some of the Indonesian officials and the foreign exchange difficulty, that dream had to be forgone by CAT. "The payment for the hajj flight was long delayed."

Pioneer experienced the same thing. "The government appreciated this flight, from which the cost of Rp660,000 was still due," said Abundjani, as cited by Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra on 7 July 1955.

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Pioneer vs Garuda

The hajj polemic was a perfect moment for A.K. Gani to grab the public attention regarding the air transportation policy by writing an article titled "GIA versus Pioneer, Colonial Company Against National Company" which was published by Merdeka, Indonesia Raya, and Berita Indonesia on 27 August 1953.

Gani mentioned that the dispute between Pioneer and GIA "has escalated to the war level", and the only way to solve it was to weigh more on the national politics based on the interest of Indonesia, and not based on the interest of the Netherlands’ foreign capital.

In his article, Gani specified eight important points along with a conclusion regarding GIA. Those eight points were about multinational companies, the management, the origin, the purchase of equipment, the services, the profit for the state treasury, the national security aspect, and the responsibility of Parliament.

According to Gani, GIA’s air transportation monopoly had breached the GIA contract. In addition, the politics in the transportation industry was not supposed to be determined by a semi-official airline company such as GIA. The baffling fact was that, in reality, the government constantly consulted and asked GIA's board of directors’ permission on anything related to aviation.

"Does this really prove that the Indonesian government is sovereign, independent, and influential? Garuda's board of directors (i.e. Mr. Konijnenburg) dictated the Ministry of Transportation what they must do."

In addition, Gani also discussed the GIA's management that was under KLM's control, allowing GIA to be capitalized for the economic and political interests of the Netherlands and KLM. Considering the military strategic aspects as well as Indonesia's ongoing struggle in defending West Irian, that matter was outright dangerous.

"It is a public secret," Gani wrote, "that GIA at present is one of the largest bases of NICA's accomplices in Indonesia and the fifth Dutch's kolonne."

Gani expected the government to act in accordance with the Indonesian people's wishes. "Unlike their current policy which discriminates against national companies and prioritizes colonial companies (GIA was de facto Dutch KLM's company)."

Gani's sharp writings promptly aggravated the polemic. Sahetapy Engel raised his voice again, accusing Gani of insulting the government and the people of the Netherlands who were dedicated to Indonesia. He demanded the government to take action.

GIA's board of directors responded with a statement, as cited by Indonesia Raya on 31 August 1953: "included in it (the article), according to us, were some accusations and insinuations against the Indonesian government and KLM."

GIA denied the allegation of them dictating the Ministry of Transportation. According to GIA, the company policy maker was the board of commissioners which was chaired by an Indonesian representative, implying that the GIA's authority was in the hands of the Indonesian government. The government also had its indisputable control over routes, airfields, flight frequency, and tariffs.

Regarding the accusation of GIA being the accomplice of NICA, they replied, "such harsh denunciation has to be borne by Dr. Gani himself who probably has to be held accountable in front of the judge in a nation of laws such as the Republic of Indonesia."

Prime Minister Ali Sastroamidjojo also denied that the Ministry of Transportation was being dictated by GIA's board of directors. That statement was released as part of the government's answer in the first round of the general view about the transportation in front of the Parliament in early September 1953. However, the government refused to be involved in the conflict between Pioneer and GIA.

The Ministry of Transportation tried to solve the dispute by broadcasting an announcement on why GIA has to be prioritized. As cited by Indonesia Raya on 2 September 1953, during the establishment of GIA, the government agreed to prioritize GIA in carrying out air transportation before the permit could be given to a private company, and it was included in the concession given to GIA. In that case, the business permit given to Pioneer by the government (the Ministry of Transportation) was already in accordance with the agreement.

"As a nation of laws that opposes any act against the law, the government can't therefore violate what has been stipulated."

A.K. Gani reacted by sending a letter to the head of the Civil Aviation Department dated 22 September, mentioning that the explanation given in the announcement was erroneous particularly about the status of the Pioneer that has received a permit from the government.

"If the government considers that it is acceptable to give its power to a foreign company (KLM) to determine the politiek-beleid on Indonesia's aviation, then we from PAC urge the government to revoke the permit that has been given to PAC," Gani wrote, as quoted by Indonesia Raya on 2 October 1953.

Serikat Buruh Penerbangan (The Aviation Workers Union or SBP) concurred with Gani's opinion. On behalf of SBP, Mudakir Pradjasasmita mentioned that the RIS/KLM contract was disappointing because it indicated that the GIA’s management was 100% controlled by KLM (the Netherlands). SBP had repeatedly requested for the contract to be reviewed and for the nationalization of GIA to be hastened.

"That's because GIA is only pertinent to the government which gives little, or maybe none at all, full attention to the matter," said Mudakir in an article published in Indonesia Raya on 8 September 1953.

Gani had indeed successfully brought the spotlight to the GIA's issue, but the resolution was not of what he expected. Gani even had to deal with a defamation lawsuit after Konijnenburg filed the case to the Public Prosecution Service because Gani's article was deemed to contain groundless accusations that defamed the dignity and reputation of the GIA's management.

High Prosecutor Sunarjo appointed Prosecutor Notosusanto from Jakarta District Court to make procès-verbal and to investigate the case. In September 1953, Konijnenburg and C.A. Mochtar as the director and deputy director of GIA respectively, fulfilled the summons of the Public Prosecution Service for questioning, which was followed by Gani as Pioneer's president director.

However, the case was suddenly dropped. Both Gani and Konijnenburg were even seen together in more than one important events such as at the send-off of Arnold Mononutu as the Indonesian ambassador for China and the welcoming event of De Havilland Heron, one of the 14 aircraft purchased by GIA, in Kemayoran.

Gani wasn't a strange name in the world of politics. He was close with Sukarno and was a senior politician from PNI, the party that dominated the cabinet. At the same time, the Cabinet of Ali Sastroamidjojo was in the process of nationalizing GIA.

On 12 July 1954, KLM sold its entire shares to the Indonesian government, causing the rumor regarding the change of GIA's director to circulate. Many people mentioned Gani as a candidate from PNI who had a big chance to replace Konijnenburg. The position of GIA’s director was eventually given to Ir. Soetoto, but for Gani, a more prominent position awaited.

The Forgotten Favor

TO Pioneer's management, the nationalization of GIA was like a gate to freedom, after which they expected to have more space to grow without being limited by regulations that impeded their operation. Even better, they hoped for a chance to operate scheduled flights which would accomplish their initial purpose included in Pioneer’s articles of association. Those expectations were expressed by Abundjani to the Minister of Transportation Roosseno Soerjohadikoesoemo through his letter on 21 April 1954.

It's been more than a year, Abundjani wrote, Pioneer has to suffer because the government has to comply with their agreement with KLM. A lot has been sacrificed, especially money.

"We believe that the government will not continue the monopoly that had been maintained by KLM when they were controlling GIA to crush private national companies owned by the people of their own nation," wrote Abundjani.

Abundjani wished Pioneer could be allowed by the government to operate according to its articles of association. In the letter, intentionally or not, Abundjani quoted the purpose of Pioneer's establishment that was included in its initial articles of association. In addition, he hoped that Pioneer would get the facility to earn foreign exchange that can be used to buy aircraft, spare parts, and to pay for the staff’s salaries.

Abundjani also implicitly proposed several suggestions. He mentioned national aviation politics in which the primary transportation was conducted by GIA, while the secondary and additional transportation such as feeder-lines,charters, and special flights were handed over to private national businesses.

Three days after his letter was received, Abundjani and Gani met Roosseno and Soegoto in a talk that took around 30 minutes. The result, as written in the meeting minutes and Pioneer's letter to the Parliament, was disappointing.

Roosseno explained, after GIA's nationalization, the air transportation would be carried out by the government and they didn't want any competition.

Roosseno added that the government recognized Pioneer only to pressure KLM to change the contract. Thus, after the goal was achieved, Pioneer was no longer needed. Roosseno even advised Pioneer to shut down their business. If they insisted on operating, Pioneer wouldn't be allowed to expand its aircraft both in size and quantity.

Pioneer was also prohibited from transporting cargo through the route that was carried by the government as it would only result in a competition against GIA. Furthermore, Pioneer was banned from making Jakarta-Tanjung Karang flights that were planned to be carried out by GIA, which was not realized until 1956.

Roosseno promised to give a confirmation in writing after a discussion with the Parliament's Department of Transportation.

Pioneer's management was clearly disappointed. With such limitations, it would be impossible for them to carry out a successful commercial operation. Pioneer then brought the issue to the Parliament. In a letter dated 19 July 1954, they deplored the government's stance, as quoted by Merdeka on 2 August 1954, "as if they have forgotten the favor Pioneer has done."

The management also added that it was simply unacceptable if the government acted like the Dutch that allowed GIA to have a monopoly, because there was certainly enough space in Indonesia's air to be filled by two different airlines: GIA and Pioneer. They suggested allowing Pioneer to operate exclusively for the cargo transportation, while GIA to be assigned the passenger transportation.

They also proposed to the government to sell or rent GIA’s old Dakota (C-47) to Pioneer since, according to them, the aircraft could still be used for the next 5 or 10 years.

The reason was because GIA had purchased 14 units of De Havilland Heron and 16 units of Convairs aircraft that were not actually suitable for cargo transportation. On the other hand, GIA had planned to reduce the cargo transportation and had sold six units of C-47. In May 1954, Indonesia Raya questioned the reason behind GIA's decision to sell those six old Dakota to Pacific Aircraft Corporation Los Angeles instead of to Pioneer. Moreover, as of 1 July 1954, Dinas Angkatan Udara Militer (Military Air Transport Department or DAUM) from AURI had reduced 75% of their flights.

Pioneer's management then arranged a meeting with Parliament's Department of Transportation on 5 August 1954 in which Gani extended his opinions that were also included in his previous letter to the Parliament.

Cited by Indische Courant voor Nederland on 19 August 1954, the head of Parliament's Department of Transportation said that their side couldn't make any decision just yet, as they wanted to gather complete information regarding Pioneer's entire operation, the difficulty the company encountered, and the possible solutions. After that, they would also hold a conference with the Minister of Transportation Roosseno.

Pioneer's management agreed to wait. Through a letter to Parliament dated 10 August 1954, they detailed the operating restrictions, difficulty in obtaining flight clearance and foreign exchange. They revealed that the chief of Indonesian National Police Soekanto Tjokrodiatmodjo even had to ask for GIA's permission to fly with Pioneer because GIA couldn't fulfill the demand. "This is a threat to Indonesian security."

Pioneer's management emphasized that they weren't against the government, but the monopoly of GIA. Indonesia should've had more than one airline company, and for that reason, they proposed three suggestions.

First, Pioneer became an unscheduled airline, while GIA was the only scheduled airline in Indonesia.

Second, the government should divide the passenger and cargo flights. GIA would serve the passenger flight, while Pioneer would transport cargo. To realize such scenarios, Pioneer requested a permit to purchase or rent the C-47.

Third, the government shall divide the flight routes in Indonesia to GIA and Pioneer based on scheduled services. Both companies were also allowed to make special charter flights throughout the flight routes in Indonesia and abroad.

According to Pioneer, regardless which suggestion the government would accept, their side would request a written guarantee from the government to allow them a fair and equal operation alongside GIA, to earn foreign exchange income, to obtain import permits, visas and permits for foreign personnel, as well as permits for foreign companies to invest capital.

Pioneer finally received support from the Parliament. On 4 November 1954, Parliament's Department of Transportation sent a letter to the Ministry of Transportation, stating a request for the government to make a firm decision regarding Pioneer's position by choosing one of the options.

The first one is to continue giving permits to Pioneer and the opportunity for Pioneer to carry out airline business with leniency to transport cargo and other types of freight. Second, to revoke the permit given to Pioneer and compensate for the loss, buy the aircraft and shares, etc.

The Parliament's letter wasn't immediately responded by the government as there was a formation change in the Cabinet of Ali Sastroamidjojo. Roosseno resigned from his position on 23 October 1954 and his job was taken over temporarily by Prime Minister Ali Sastroamidjojo. Soon afterward, A.K. Gani was appointed the minister of transportation on 19 November 1954.

How did A.K. Gani determine the fate of his own airline?

The Overdue Recognition

ONE day before A.K. Gani was sworn as the minister of transportation, a meeting was held by Pioneer's board of directors to discuss and receive the resignation of A.K. Gani as the president director of Pioneer.

The topic of Pioneer’s future came next during the meeting. The Ministry of Transportation hadn't provided any response to the Parliament's letter, but the board unanimously agreed not to pressure A.K. Gani as the minister to give an immediate answer regarding Pioneer's status.

They gave five months for A.K. Gani to gather enough facts and figures before providing an answer to the question: "is there a room for more than one civil aviation company in Indonesia? If there is (which has already been proven), will Pioneer be given a fair chance to operate?”.

After the meeting, it was hard to imagine that Pioneer still had to go through insurmountable obstacles. While awaiting the government's decision, Pioneer suffered financial loss day by day. Their expenses and debts soared, which was reflected from the audit done by Accounting Firm W. Postema.

Abundjani and Fowler asked Accounting Firm W. Postema to go over Pioneer's books in 1953. The result, published on 22 December 1954, showed that in 1953 Pioneer suffered financial loss of Rp1,709,885.74, not including the salary of the board of directors, pilots, and mechanics McCallum and Inggals that were still due. The total loss was approximated to be Rp2,050,000.

"From the total loss until 31 December 1953, the majority of the budget was allocated for 'establishment cost', 'obtaining rights and recognitions', and also for propaganda. We believe that these assets, which are intangible, are probably the assets of high value. The recognitions cannot be determined objectively, thus those assets are not included in the provisional balance sheet."

That condition forced Pioneer's management to meet the Parliament once again. On 6 December 1954, they met K.H. Tjikwan, a Masyumi figure from Palembang who was the head of the Parliament's Department of Economy to seek information regarding Pioneer's position. To the PIA news agency, as cited by De Vrije Pers on 7 December 1954, Tjikwan said that his side had to first consider the position of A.K. Gani as the minister of transportation before making any decision.

Shortly after, Asraroedin from the Labor Party who was also the head of Parliament's Department of Transportation highlighted Pioneer's "frozen" position and asked the government to act firmly. He planned to hold a meeting with A.K. Gani to discuss the government's position and intention regarding Pioneer.

A.K. Gani found himself in a predicament. Due to conflict of interest, he refused to make any decision that was related to Pioneer. His stance was apparent when he was contacted by J. Sibarani, secretary of the Economic Council from Sumatra, who complained about the lack of KPM's ships to export the agricultural and forestry products from Tapanuli and Aceh. As a solution, he suggested increasing the number of Pioneer's aircraft, which was responded by A.K. Gani by saying, as cited by Algemeen Indisch Dagblad: de Preangerbode10 January 1955, that Pioneer's development would go in line with the government's policy.

A.K. Gani subsequently came up with a solution. He encouraged the establishment of the Aviation Council, which was actually in the planning of the Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Defense in 1952. The Aviation Council, established through Government Regulation No. 5 of 1955, is responsible to coordinate matters regarding civil and military aviation, and to advise the government on general matters concerning aviation.

At the same time, Pioneer's management couldn't wait any longer. On 6 April 1955, they sent a memo in English to A.K. Gani, signed by Abundjani as the managing director and Fowler as the technical managing director with a subject: government's decision about Pioneer Aviation Corporation.

The memo was full of nostalgia. They reminded the leadership of A.K. Gani in defending Pioneer ever since its establishment until the day they were allowed to operate, as well as the adversity and discrimination they all had to go through.

"You asked that Pioneer be given a fair and equal chance to operate, and that there should be no further discrimination against Pioneer. You asked that this question be settled in the shortest time possible, because the longer it waits the more difficult the position of Pioneer becomes," the memo read.

"On 19 November 1954 (just a little over one month after your strong arguments on behalf of Pioneer in Parliament), you were sworn in as the Minister of Communications, thus giving you the power in your own hand to carry out your own policy in the field of transportation and communications. You also assumed the responsibility of giving an answer (in the shortest possible time) to the Parliament on their letter - Decision No. 2/R/4/S.IV 54 to the Minister of Communications."

There was no reply yet from A.K. Gani, but it seemed that he refused to say any word and handed the problem over to the Aviation Council.

Pioneer was in limbo. The management finally decided to hold a press conference in Jakarta. Cited by Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra on 7 July 1955, Abundjani said that Pioneer, which had been recognized by the government as a chartered airline, was in fact not recognized. While the official recognition was indeed given, in reality, Pioneer encountered a lot of difficulty in earning foreign exchange. They were also only allowed to fly in the area where GIA was not present, and their chartered flight had to obtain permission two days in advance. Pioneer demanded the government's decision. All they needed was the overdue absolute recognition.

In a statement that was included in a script which is still preserved in Dr. A.K. Gani Museum, Pioneer's management reminded that Pioneer was granted an operation permit for unscheduled flights because the government had to comply with the KLM/GIA contract. Since the GIA contract had ended subsequent to the nationalization, theoretically there shouldn't be any restriction imposed on Pioneer. "The only restriction at the moment is that Pioneer cannot make scheduled flights."

The foundation of the government's approval was still the same, but it was the policy of each individual in the government that had caused considerable difficulty to Pioneer for the whole two years. The situation would make it impossible for Pioneer or any other company to carry out a successful commercial operation, and because of that, Pioneer brought the case to the Parliament.

"We have to know whether the government will allow Pioneer to operate commercially in a fair environment or whether we will always be impeded by those individuals and departments inside the government."

"The operating license would mean nothing if the government doesn't support it by providing necessary facilities to allow the company to operate. It is like giving someone a Cadillac and then saying to him that he wants to be allowed to drive it."

In that statement, Pioneer once again revealed several actions certain individuals in the government had done to "destroy Pioneer". However, they also mentioned that there were still many individuals both inside and outside the government who were willing to collaborate and offer their full support to Pioneer.

"Due to this support and our faith that there is a space and need for another airline in Indonesia, we demand the Parliament to give us an answer, is Pioneer wanted and needed? If the decision is Yes, we shall get a guarantee that we will be allowed to carry out our operation fairly and without discrimination."

Pioneer's discontent was responded by F.A.P Pitoi from Persatuan Indonesia Raya (PIR) who was also the head of Parliament's Department of Transportation. Pitoi declared that despite the nationalization of GIA, the government wouldn't change their stance toward Pioneer. It contradicted the government's earlier promise to give a definitive solution after GIA’s nationalization. In reality, the succeeding minister of transportation had another opinion that brought a similar conclusion to Pioneer; the fact that there was actually no recognition at all.

Pitoi said that the Parliament's Department of Transportation didn't want to support Pioneer, but still admitted the importance of more air transportation in the country. The government, particularly, had to make a decision regarding Pioneer's position. Pitoi said, the Minister of Transportation A.K. Gani had mentioned that he was waiting for a decision from the Aviation Council. Meanwhile, the Parliament had awaited the government's response to the letter they sent a year before.

It was unclear whether A.K. Gani had given an answer to both the Parliament and Pioneer. The First Ali Sastroamidjojo Cabinet dissolved on 24 July 1955 and was succeeded by the Burhanuddin Harahap Cabinet. Consequently, the role of A.K. Gani as the minister of transportation had also ended.

The government apparently still assigned Pioneer as an airline with unscheduled services. On several occasions, Minister of Transportation Suchjar Tedjasukmana had encouraged the expansion of the air network in Aceh and the east region that borders Papua. If GIA couldn't provide the flight, the route would be served by a private airline. Pioneer was asked to open air services in Aceh.

Fading Behind the Cloud

A MEETING was held by Pioneer's board of directors at Dasaad's house on 9 March 1956 discussing the urgent need to hire an experienced pilot to handle the operation in North Sumatra.

As a follow-up, Fowler sent a memo in English dated 23 April 1956, asking the approval of the board of directors to spend up Rp50,000 to hire personnels (mechanics and pilots) and to buy equipment and supplies for Pioneer's maintenance shop in Kemayoran.

"This is bare necessities for a shop because I can't handle all those flights and maintenance in that operation on my own anymore," wrote Fowler.

In the attachment, Fowler enclosed a list of supplies and equipment needed at Pioneer's maintenance shop in Kemayoran. "This shop and our own mechanics could then be used to service and maintain the airplanes of the Flying Clubs, Private owners, Police, Air Attaches, and Transient Operations.”

In the memo, Fowler expressed that the Police had two aircraft, Cessna 100 and Aero Commander 560A. He had also agreed to assist them in setting up the Air Wing. "It is my desire to build up the Police Air Wing and Pioneer together on a cooperative basis," Fowler wrote.

Fowler was still very much enthusiastic and optimistic about Pioneer's future. On the contrary, each of the Pioneer's founders were occupied with their own activities.

Abundjani was active in his additional job as the director of Perusahaan Motor Indonesia (Permorin), a company resulting from the nationalization of NV Fuchs & Rens. A.K. Gani was fulfilling his duty at the Constitutional Assembly, and then as the member of Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS) representing Palembang.

However, Gani's role in Pioneer remained vital as he frequently attended the company’s meeting invitation. On 23 January 1957, for instance, A.K. Gani was invited to Pioneer's meeting in Jakarta. Unfortunately, there was no record found about the agenda of that particular meeting.

Although most of its operations were limited in the Sumatra region, Pioneer still fought to survive. The book 20 Tahun Indonesia Merdeka Volume VI published by the Department of Information in 1965 mentions that Pioneer hired foreign aviators and used aircraft such as Heron, Beaver, and Twin-Pioneer. "The company really lived up to its name, Pioneer, as the pioneer in Indonesian aviation aside from Garuda."

<div class="flex-content-podcast"><figure class="img-left"><div><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/61af270884f7a0580d35618e/62bec441e454d782ed2ed881_Intersection%209.jpg" alt="img"></div><figcaption>Fowler (wearing sunglasses) was one of A.K. Gani’s close colleagues and a figure who was commendable for his effort in building the aviation industry in Indonesia. (Collection of Dr. A.K. Gani Museum)</figcaption></figure><div class="img-right"><div class="podcast-container"><img alt="person" class="entered loaded" data-ll-status="loaded" src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/61af270884f7a0580d35618e/62beb1a28f30586ab2172fc3_GI%20Priyanti%20Gani.jpg"><div class="audio-podcast"><audio controls controlsList="nodownload"><source src="https://d220hvstrn183r.cloudfront.net/premium/maskapai-pionir/PODCAST-GI%20-Priyanti-Gani.mp3" type="audio/mpeg">Your browser does not support the audio element.</audio></div></div><div class="caption"><span><b>GI Priyanti Gani.</b><br>The fifth child of Dr. A.K. Gani. (Budi Setiono/Historia.ID).</span></div></div></div>

The existence of the aviation pioneer was certainly needed in Indonesia. In many instances, Parliament referred to Pioneer while talking about the importance of opening inter-island transportation to grow the economy. "Considering that GIA hasn't been able to fulfill the demand of air transportation, a national airline (Pioneer Aviation Corporation) has to be given support and assistance," wrote 4 x Parlementaria which was published by the Department of Information in 1959.

However, instead of supporting Pioneer, the government chose to establish Merpati Nusantara under Government Regulation No. 19 of 1962. Merpati, GIA's subsidiary, was set to serve the pioneer flights that connect islands in Indonesia. However, as history reveals, Merpati suffered many financial problems for so many years.

According to Yanti, as a member of MPRS, A.K. Gani never stopped fighting for his airline. However, due to a funding crisis, the government's support was almost impossible to win. "He was definitely saddened by the fact that he couldn't fight for Pioneer. He once admitted that he was shocked knowing that what he's been fighting for was fruitless."

In Lampiran Ketetapan: garis-garis besar pola pembangunan nasional-semesta-berentjana tahapan pertama 1961-1969 published by People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in 1960, the government highlighted the effort in improving the aviation and air transportation that was still frustrated by the lack of maintenance facilities. "Air transportation company Pioneer Aviation Corp from Dr. A. K. Gani has failed due to difficulties in maintenance."

During his last years, A.K. Gani returned to his profession as a doctor. Yanti said that Gani was once offered by Sukarno a position as the governor of West Irian and as Indonesian ambassador for the United States, but he refused. "He eventually returned to Palembang and opened a medical practice."

However, Gani's hope didn't fade completely. In 1967, when Commander of the Air Force Regional Command (Kowilu) I Commodore Sudjatmiko proposed a project to establish Radjawali Airline which would connect the small cities in Sumatra, Pioneer was one of the airlines that pledged their support.

A.K. Gani was still optimistic, especially after the New Order government started opening up. When the Minister of Transportation Air Commodore Sutopo declared that the government opened up the opportunity for interested national private business to be involved in the air transportation, A.K. Gani started to act. According to Angkasa magazine in 1968, there were three companies that submitted permit applications, and one of them was Pioneer which was owned by A.K. Gani.

However, A.K. Gani didn't get to enjoy the liberalization of the national aviation industry. He died on 23 December 1968 at Charitas Hospital Palembang and was buried in Heroes’ Cemetery Ksatria Ksetra Siguntang in Palembang.

The departure of A.K. Gani officially concluded the existence of Pioneer, but not to David Fowler, who persisted to dedicate all his life to aviation. Later on, he founded Zamrud Airlines, Safari Air, and Airfast Indonesia.

Fowler was let down once, but he never gave up. In his letter to A.K. Gani in the 1950s, Fowler even stated his reason. "All of this is not for commercial benefits, but mostly because I believe in what Indonesia is fighting for and I hope I can be a small part in building this great new nation," Fowler wrote.

Fowler then disappeared. According to Find a Grave website, Fowler passed away in Travis County, Texas, United States on 20 December 1999 at the age of 81. The location of his grave was unknown, but the website enclosed Fowler's extensive career record, including a piece of newspaper article about Fowler's role in building an airline in Indonesia.

A.K. Gani and Fowler are the two pioneers in Indonesia's aviation, regardless of the fact that what they were fighting for had now vanished without a trace.

"But my late father once said that in the future, there will be other airlines that will rival Garuda," said Yanti.*