SELAT MALAKA — Di masa revolusi fisik (1945–1949), perairan Sumatra dan Selat Malaka dikepung rapat oleh armada tangguh Kerajaan Belanda. Mereka menerapkan blokade laut yang ketat dengan satu tujuan: mencekik jalur ekonomi dan logistik Republik Indonesia yang baru seumur jagung. Namun, di antara ombak Selat Malaka yang berbahaya, muncul satu nama yang membuat angkatan laut Belanda frustrasi setengah mati. Ia adalah John Lie, pelaut ulung keturunan Tionghoa yang berkali-kali menembus barikade musuh hingga dijuluki "Si Hantu Selat Malaka".
Lahir di Manado pada tahun 1911, John Lie bukanlah orang asing di dunia maritim. Ia menimba pengalaman bertahun-tahun sebagai pelaut di perusahaan pelayaran kolonial Belanda, KPM (Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij). Namun, ketika Indonesia memproklamasikan kemerdekaan, panggilan jiwa nasionalismenya bergejolak. Ia memutuskan menanggalkan gaji besarnya di KPM dan pergi ke Yogyakarta untuk bergabung dengan Angkatan Laut Republik Indonesia (ALRI). Mengingat keterbatasan kapal perang maklum saat itu, ALRI menugaskan John Lie ke pangkalan di Sumatra dengan misi yang sangat vital sekaligus mematikan: menjadi blockade runner (penembus blokade musuh).
Untuk menjalankan operasi rahasia ini, John Lie memimpin sebuah kapal cepat (speedboat) jenis Large Baseline (LB) bermesin niaga yang dinamai The Outlaw (PPB 58 LB). Tugas kapal ini menyerupai urat nadi bagi kelangsungan hidup Republik. Pertama, Penyelundupan Keluar: Membawa hasil bumi Indonesia (seperti karet, kopi, dan teh) dari pelabuhan-pelabuhan kecil di Sumatra menyeberangi Selat Malaka menuju Singapura atau Malaya yang dikuasai Inggris. Kedua, Barter Senjata: Hasil penjualan komoditas tersebut tidak dicairkan dalam bentuk uang, melainkan dibarter langsung dengan senjata, amunisi, obat-obatan, dan pemancar radio. Ketiga, Penyelundupan Masuk: Memasok kembali barang-barang militer tersebut ke kantong-kantong gerilya TRI (Tentara Republik Indonesia) di Sumatra guna melawan agresi Belanda. "Kami tidak sekadar membawa barang dagangan, kami membawa napas kehidupan bagi tentara Republik yang sedang bertaruh nyawa di daratan."
Julukan "Si Hantu Selat Malaka" tidak datang dari kawan, melainkan dari pihak Belanda sendiri yang frustrasi karena kapal John Lie seolah-olah bisa menghilang atau lolos dari situasi yang mustahil secara logika militer. Ada beberapa kisah ikonik yang melekat pada operasional The Outlaw. Salah satunya adalah Taktik Memeluk Badai: Ketika kapal patroli Belanda menggunakan radar canggih untuk memburu mereka, John Lie justru sengaja mengemudikan kapal menembus badai besar atau kabut tebal malam hari demi mengelabuhi pantulan radar musuh.
Suatu hari di Labuhan Bilik, The Outlaw kedapatan oleh pesawat pemburu Belanda saat sedang kantas karena air surut. Pesawat tersebut memberondong kapal John Lie dengan senapan mesin dan roket. Ajaibnya, bom dan peluru hanya jatuh di sekeliling kapal tanpa satu pun hantaman telak. Kapal berhasil diperbaiki darurat dan lolos begitu air pasang. Di samping kecerdikan taktisnya, John Lie dikenal sebagai sosok Kristen yang sangat taat. Di tengah kecamuk peluru atau saat mesin kapal mati di wilayah perimeter musuh, ia kerap terlihat tenang di anjungan sambil memegang Alkitab di satu tangan dan kemudi di tangan lainnya, memberikan instruksi taktis tanpa kepanikan.
Setelah perang kemerdekaan usai, John Lie melanjutkan pengabdiannya di TNI AL hingga pensiun dengan pangkat Laksamana Muda (Laksda). Nama baptisnya kemudian disesuaikan menjadi Jahja Daniel Dharma. Beliau wafat pada tahun 1988 dan dimakamkan di Taman Makam Pahlawan Kalibata. Atas jasa-jasanya yang luar biasa dalam mendanai dan mempersenjatai revolusi Indonesia, pada tahun 2009, Pemerintah Indonesia menganugerahinya gelar Pahlawan Nasional. Untuk menghormati warisan keberaniannya, nama beliau diabadikan sebagai nama kapal perang korvet canggih milik TNI AL, yaitu KRI John Lie (358). Kisah John Lie adalah bukti nyata bahwa cinta tanah air tidak memandang suku, agama, ataupun ras—sebuah teladan kokoh tentang arti kesetiaan pada kibarkan bendera Merah Putih.
STRAIT OF MALACCA — During the physical revolution (1945–1949), the waters of Sumatra and the Strait of Malacca were tightly besieged by the formidable fleet of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. They implemented a strict naval blockade with one goal: to choke the economic and logistical supply lines of the newly born Republic of Indonesia. However, amidst the treacherous waves of the Strait of Malacca, one name emerged that frustrated the Dutch navy to no end. He was John Lie, an accomplished sailor of Chinese descent who repeatedly broke through enemy barricades, earning the nickname "The Ghost of the Strait of Malacca".
Born in Manado in 1911, John Lie was no stranger to the maritime world. He gained years of experience as a sailor in the Dutch colonial shipping company, KPM (Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij). However, when Indonesia proclaimed its independence, his spirit of nationalism flared up. He decided to leave his high salary at KPM and went to Yogyakarta to join the Navy of the Republic of Indonesia (ALRI). Given the severe shortage of warships at the time, ALRI assigned John Lie to a base in Sumatra with a vital yet deadly mission: to become a blockade runner.
To carry out this secret operation, John Lie commanded a commercial-engine Large Baseline (LB) speedboat named The Outlaw (PPB 58 LB). The vessel's mission acted as a lifeline for the survival of the Republic. First, Outbound Smuggling: Carrying Indonesian commodities (like rubber, coffee, and tea) from small ports in Sumatra across the Strait of Malacca to British-controlled Singapore or Malaya. Second, Weapon Bartering: The proceeds from selling these commodities were bartered directly for weapons, ammunition, medicine, and radio transmitters. Third, Inbound Smuggling: Supplying these military goods back to TRI (Republic of Indonesia Army) guerrilla pockets in Sumatra to fight Dutch aggression. "We are not just carrying merchandise, we are bringing the breath of life to the soldiers of the Republic who are risking their lives on land."
The nickname "The Ghost of the Strait of Malacca" did not come from friends, but from the frustrated Dutch side because John Lie's ship seemed to disappear or escape from situations that were impossible by military logic. There are several iconic stories attached to the operations of The Outlaw. One of them is Storm-Hugging Tactics: When Dutch patrol boats used advanced radar to hunt them, John Lie deliberately steered the ship through big storms or thick night fog to trick the enemy's radar reflections.
One day at Labuhan Bilik, The Outlaw was caught by a Dutch fighter plane while grounded due to low tide. The aircraft strafed John Lie's ship with machine guns and rockets. Miraculously, bombs and bullets only fell around the ship without a single direct hit. The ship was given emergency repairs and escaped as soon as the tide rose. In addition to his tactical ingenuity, John Lie was known as a very devout Christian. Amidst the chaos of bullets or when the ship's engine died in enemy perimeters, he was often seen calm on the bridge holding a Bible in one hand and the helm in the other, giving tactical instructions without panic.
After the war of independence ended, John Lie continued his service in the Indonesian Navy until retiring with the rank of Rear Admiral (Laksda). His baptismal name was later adjusted to Jahja Daniel Dharma. He passed away in 1988 and was buried at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery. For his extraordinary services in funding and arming the Indonesian revolution, in 2009, the Indonesian Government awarded him the title of National Hero. To honor his legacy of bravery, his name is immortalized as the name of a sophisticated navy corvette warship, KRI John Lie (358). John Lie's story is clear proof that love for the homeland knows no tribe, religion, or race—a solid example of the true meaning of loyalty under the Red and White flag.
