AUTONEWS

Quoted from the book entitled Taxation Rights & Obligations of the Automotive Industry by Hijrah Hafidhuddin, a window on automotive history in Indonesia was opened by the first motorized vehicle to enter Indonesia in 1893, namely a motorcycle with the Hildebrand und Wolfmuller brand which was ordered directly by John C. Potter at Munich, Germany.

Even though at that time Indonesia was still in the Dutch colonial period (Dutch East Indies), the first person to own a motorized vehicle in Indonesia was a British citizen, namely John C. Potter who worked as the first machinist at the Oemboel sugar factory, Probolinggo, East Java.

From the book Kreta Setan “de deuivelswagen” Autopioniers van Insulidne, F.F Habnit, Moesson Reeks 1997, it is explained that the motorcycle belonging to John C. Potter arrived on Java Island at the Port of Semarang. In that year it was recorded that John was the only person using a motorized vehicle in Indonesia.