Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – During Ramadan, the mosque toa becomes one of the central things because it functions as a reminder of the time to break the fast and imsak. However, do you know why Indonesians often refer to loudspeakers, whether in mosques or other places, as toa?
Not many people know that Toa is actually one of the brands of loudspeakers in the world, namely Toa Electric Manufacturing Company. The company originates from Japan and was founded on September 1, 1934. The founder was Tsunetaro Nakatani, born August 10, 1890.
Since Tsunetaro founded Toa, the company immediately made big profits. The reason is, he is a pioneering company that produces loudspeaker technology in Japan. However, Toa's existence was disrupted during World War II. Toa experienced business setbacks, but did not go bankrupt.
In Electronics Buyers' Guide (1964) explained, Toa production revived in 1947 and developed a loudspeaker shaped like a funnel or trumpet. This kind of Toa product looks similar to the Toa on the market today.
Not only making loudspeakers like funnels, in 1954, Toa also started producing the EM-202 electric megaphone. It is considered to be: The world's first electric megaphone. The Megaphone product continues to be refined and in its development Megaphone has become important in demonstrations.
Toa products from Japan have entered Indonesia through PT Galva since the 1960s. The company is owned by a businessman of Chinese descent from Bangka, Uripto Widjaja. Initially he distributed loudspeakers under the Galindra brand. However, it later changed its name to Toa, after the supplier company from Japan.
In 1975, Galva then built its own loudspeaker factory in collaboration with Toa and Sumitomo. The total investment was around US$ 1 million which resulted in an extraordinarily large factory. From this partnership, Toa slowly dominated the Indonesian loudspeaker market. In the 1980s, Toa controls 90% of the loudspeaker market and is the pronoun to refer to loudspeakers in Indonesia.
Even though it existed in the 1970s, the use of Toa or similar in Indonesian mosques has apparently been going on for a long time. In the 1930s, loudspeakers in mosques were used by the Surakarta Grand Mosque. Site History noted that loudspeakers in mosques began to be widely used since the 1970s. That period of time was the beginning of the circulation of Toa brand loudspeakers from Japan.
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(mfa/sef)