Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie (; 25 June 1936 – 11 September 2019) was an Indonesian engineer and politician who was the third
president of Indonesia
The President of the Republic of Indonesia ( id, Presiden Republik Indonesia) is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Indonesia. The president leads the executive branch of the Indonesian government and i ...
from 1998 to 1999. Less than three months after his inauguration as the seventh
vice president
A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...
in March 1998, he succeeded
Suharto
Suharto (; ; 8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was an Indonesian army officer and politician, who served as the second and the longest serving president of Indonesia. Widely regarded as a military dictator by international observers, Suharto ...
who
resigned
Resignation is the formal act of leaving or quitting one's office or position. A resignation can occur when a person holding a position gained by election or appointment steps down, but leaving a position upon the expiration of a term, or choos ...
after 31 years in office. His presidency was seen as a landmark and transition to the
Reformation era
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
. Upon becoming president, he liberalized Indonesia's press and political party laws, and held an
early democratic election three years sooner than scheduled, which resulted in the end of his presidency. His 517-day presidency and 71-day vice presidency were the shortest in the country's history.
Early life
![Patung Habibie - Isimu - Gorontalo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Patung_Habibie_-_Isimu_-_Gorontalo.png)
Habibie was a native of
Parepare
Parepare is a city (''kota'') in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, located on the southwest coast of Sulawesi, about north of the provincial capital of Makassar. A port town, it is one of the major population centers of the Bugis people. The city had ...
, in
South Sulawesi
South Sulawesi ( id, Sulawesi Selatan) is a province in the southern peninsula of Sulawesi. The Selayar Islands archipelago to the south of Sulawesi is also part of the province. The capital is Makassar. The province is bordered by Central Sula ...
. He was of ethnic
Bugis
The Bugis people (pronounced ), also known as Buginese, are an ethnicity—the most numerous of the three major linguistic and ethnic groups of South Sulawesi (the others being Makassar and Toraja), in the south-western province of Sulawe ...
-
Gorontalese-
Javanese descent from Kabila in
Gorontalo
Gorontalo ( Gorontaloan: ''Hulontalo'') is a province of Indonesia on the island of Sulawesi. Located on the Minahasa Peninsula, Gorontalo was formerly part of the province of North Sulawesi until its inauguration as a separate province on 5 D ...
and
Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...
.
[Salam, S., 1986. ''BJ Habibie, Mutiara dari Timur''. Intermasa.] His parents, Alwi Abdul Jalil Habibie,
an
agriculturist
An agriculturist, agriculturalist, agrologist, or agronomist (abbreviated as agr.), is a professional in the science, practice, and management of agriculture and agribusiness. It is a regulated profession in Canada, India, the Philippines, the U ...
of Bugis-Gorontalese descent, and R. A. Tuti Marini Puspowardojo, a
Javanese noblewoman
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteri ...
from
Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...
, met while studying in
Bogor
Bogor ( su, , nl, Buitenzorg) is a city in the West Java province, Indonesia. Located around south of the national capital of Jakarta, Bogor is the 6th largest city in the Jakarta metropolitan area and the 14th overall nationwide.[Gorontalo
Gorontalo ( Gorontaloan: ''Hulontalo'') is a province of Indonesia on the island of Sulawesi. Located on the Minahasa Peninsula, Gorontalo was formerly part of the province of North Sulawesi until its inauguration as a separate province on 5 D ...]
in northern Sulawesi. He was the fourth of eight children.
Habibie's father died when he was 14 years old.
In 2018, the
Gorontalo
Gorontalo ( Gorontaloan: ''Hulontalo'') is a province of Indonesia on the island of Sulawesi. Located on the Minahasa Peninsula, Gorontalo was formerly part of the province of North Sulawesi until its inauguration as a separate province on 5 D ...
provincial government agreed to support the construction of the B.J. Habibie's Monument in front of the main gate of
Djalaluddin Airport in
Gorontalo Regency
Gorontalo is a regency of Gorontalo Province, Indonesia, on the island of Sulawesi. It was established in 1959 under Law Number (''Undang-Undang Nomor'') 29/1959, but has subsequently been reduced in area as additional regencies have been cut out ...
. In addition, it was proposed that
State University of Gorontalo be renamed in honour of Habibie although, in the end, the suggestion was not adopted.
Education
Habibie went to
Delft, the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, to study aviation and aerospace at the Technische Hogeschool Delft (
Delft University of Technology
Delft University of Technology ( nl, Technische Universiteit Delft), also known as TU Delft, is the oldest and largest Dutch public technical university, located in Delft, Netherlands. As of 2022 it is ranked by QS World University Rankings among ...
), but for political reasons (the
West New Guinea dispute
The West New Guinea dispute (1950–1962), also known as the West Irian dispute, was a diplomatic and political conflict between the Netherlands and Indonesia over the territory of Dutch New Guinea. While the Netherlands had ceded sovereignty ov ...
between the Netherlands and Indonesia), he had to continue his study at the Technische Hochschule Aachen (
RWTH Aachen University) in
Aachen, Germany
Aachen ( ; ; Aachen dialect: ''Oche'' ; French and traditional English: Aix-la-Chapelle; or ''Aquisgranum''; nl, Aken ; Polish: Akwizgran) is, with around 249,000 inhabitants, the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 28th- ...
. In 1960, Habibie received an
engineer's degree in Germany with the title ''
Diplom-Ingenieur
An engineer's degree is an advanced academic degree in engineering which is conferred in Europe, some countries of Latin America, North Africa and a few institutions in the United States. The degree may require a thesis but always requires a non- ...
''. He remained in Germany as a
research assistant
A research assistant (RA) is a researcher employed, often on a temporary contract, by a university, a research institute or a privately held organization, for the purpose of assisting in academic or private research. Research assistants are not in ...
under Hans Ebner at the Lehrstuhl und Institut für Leichtbau,
RWTH Aachen
Aachen ( ; ; Aachen dialect: ''Oche'' ; French and traditional English: Aix-la-Chapelle; or ''Aquisgranum''; nl, Aken ; Polish: Akwizgran) is, with around 249,000 inhabitants, the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 28th- ...
to conduct research for his doctoral degree.
Engineering career
In 1962, Habibie returned to Indonesia for three months on
sick leave
Sick leave (or paid sick days or sick pay) is paid time off from work that workers can use to stay home to address their health needs without losing pay. It differs from paid vacation time or time off work to deal with personal matters, because sic ...
. During this time, he was reacquainted with
Hasri Ainun, the daughter of R. Mohamad Besari. Habibie had known Hasri Ainun in childhood, junior high school and in senior high school at SMA Kristen Dago (Dago Christian Senior High School),
Bandung
Bandung ( su, ᮘᮔ᮪ᮓᮥᮀ, Bandung, ; ) is the capital city of the Indonesian province of West Java. It has a population of 2,452,943 within its city limits according to the official estimates as at mid 2021, making it the fourth most ...
. The two married on 12 May 1962, returning to Germany shortly afterwards.
Habibie and his wife settled in
Aachen
Aachen ( ; ; Aachen dialect: ''Oche'' ; French and traditional English: Aix-la-Chapelle; or ''Aquisgranum''; nl, Aken ; Polish: Akwizgran) is, with around 249,000 inhabitants, the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 28th- ...
for a short period before moving to Oberforstbach. In May 1963 they had a son, Ilham Akbar Habibie.
Habibie later found employment with the railway stock firm
Waggonfabrik Talbot
Waggonfabrik Talbot was a rolling stock manufacturer founded in Aachen, Germany, in 1838. The company was an early pioneer of self discharging freight wagons, and in the latter part of the twentieth century a major supplier to the Dutch State Rai ...
, where he became an advisor in designing train wagons. Due to his work with Makosh, the head of train construction offered his position to Habibie upon retirement three years later, but Habibie refused the position.
In 1965, Habibie delivered his dissertation in aerospace engineering and received the grade of "very good," giving him the title ''
Doktoringenieur
The Doktoringenieur (acronym Dr.-Ing., also ''Doktor der Ingenieurwissenschaften'') is the German engineering doctorate degree, comparable to the Doctor of Engineering, Engineering Doctorate, Doctor of Science (Engineering), Doctor of Science ...
'' (Dr.-Ing.). The same year, he accepted Hans Ebner's offer to continue his research on ''Thermoelastisitas'' and work toward his
Habilitation, but he declined the offer to join RWTH as a professor. His thesis about light construction for supersonic or hypersonic states also attracted offers of employment from companies such as
Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and p ...
and
Airbus
Airbus SE (; ; ; ) is a European multinational aerospace corporation. Airbus designs, manufactures and sells civil and military aerospace products worldwide and manufactures aircraft throughout the world. The company has three divisions: ' ...
, which Habibie again declined.
Habibie did accept a position with
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm in
Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
, utc_offset1 = +1
, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
. There, he developed theories on
thermodynamics
Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that deals with heat, work, and temperature, and their relation to energy, entropy, and the physical properties of matter and radiation. The behavior of these quantities is governed by the four laws of the ...
, construction, and aerodynamics known as the Habibie Factor (thermodynamics), Habibie Theorem (construction), and Habibie Method (aerodynamics), respectively. He worked for Messerschmitt on the development of the
Airbus A-300
The Airbus A300 is a Wide-body aircraft, wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Airbus.
In September 1967, aircraft manufacturers in the United Kingdom, France, and West Germany signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a lar ...
B aircraft. In 1974, he was promoted to vice president of the company.
In 1974, Suharto recruited Habibie to return to Indonesia as part of his drive to industrialize and develop the country. Habibie initially served as a special assistant to
Ibnu Sutowo, chief executive officer of the state oil company
Pertamina and Chair of Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology ( id, Badan Pengkajian dan Penerapan Teknologi, BPPT). Two years later, Habibie was made CEO of the new state-owned enterprise ''Industri Pesawat Terbang
Nurtanio'' (IPTN; Nurtanio Aircraft Industry),
which in 1985 changed its name to ''Industri Pesawat Terbang
Nusantara
Nusantara most commonly refers to:
*Nusantara (archipelago), an Old Javanese term which initially referred to the conquered territories of the Majapahit empire, corresponding to present-day Indonesia
*Nusantara (planned city), the future capital ci ...
'' (Nusantara Aircraft Industry; also abbreviated as IPTN) and is known as
Indonesian Aerospace (PT. Dirgantara Indonesia) since 2000).
Political career
Minister of Research and Technology (1978–1998)
![B](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/B._J._Habibie_-_Fourth_Development_Cabinet.jpg)
In 1978, he was appointed as State Minister of Research and Technology ( id, Menteri Negara Riset dan Teknologi, Menristek). He continued to play an important role in IPTN other "strategic" industries in this post.
By the 1980s, IPTN had grown considerably, specializing in the manufacture of helicopters and small passenger planes. Under Habibie's leadership, IPTN became a manufacturer of aircraft including
Puma helicopters and
CASA planes. It pioneered a small passenger airplane, the
N-250 Gatotkaca, in 1995, but the project was a commercial failure. In developing Indonesia's aviation industry, he adopted an approach called "Begin at the End and End at the Beginning". In this method, elements such as basic research became the last things upon which to focus, whilst actual manufacturing of the planes was placed as the first objective.
![N250 at Bandung Airshow 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/N250_at_Bandung_Airshow_2012.jpg)
By 1991, Habibie oversaw ten state-owned industries including ship- and train-building, steel, arms, communications, and energy.
A 1993 estimate determined that the estimates used nearly $2 billion a year in state funding, although the government's opaque accounting practices meant that the size of the industries was not completely known.
As minister, Habibie created the OFP (Overseas Fellowship Program), STMDP (Science Technology and Manpower Development Program) and STAID (Science and Technology for Industrial Development). These three programs provided scholarships to thousands of high school graduates to earn their bachelor's degrees in the STEM fields and for other technical professionals to continue their study for master's and doctorate program in the United States, Europe, Japan, and other countries.
In
Suharto
Suharto (; ; 8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was an Indonesian army officer and politician, who served as the second and the longest serving president of Indonesia. Widely regarded as a military dictator by international observers, Suharto ...
's regime, as was expected of senior government executives, Habibie became a member of the
Golkar
)
, foundation =
, youth = AMPG (Golkar Party Young Force)
, women = KPPG (Golkar Party Women's Corps)
, newspaper = ''Suara Karya'' (1971–2016)
, headquarters = Jakarta
, ideology ...
organisation. Suharto appointed him as deputy daily coordinator for the chairman of the executive board in 1992, and the following year he became the daily coordinator.
While serving in cabinet, Habibie was also elected as the first Chair of the
Indonesian Association of Muslim Intellectuals
The Indonesian Association of Muslim Intellectuals (Indonesian: ''Ikatan Cendekiawan Muslim Indonesia'', ICMI) is a Muslim organization in Indonesia. Founded in 1990 by Indonesian Secretary of Research and Technology B. J. Habibie, the organisati ...
(ICMI) in 1990. This modernist Muslim organization provided him with a political base, linked to but independent of the Suharto administration.
Vice presidency (1998)
![Bacharuddin_Jusuf_Habibie_official_portrait](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Bacharuddin_Jusuf_Habibie_official_portrait.jpg)
In January 1998, after accepting nomination for a seventh term as president, Suharto announced the selection criteria for the nomination of a vice president. Suharto did not mention Habibie by name, but his suggestion that the next vice president should have a mastery of science and technology made it obvious he had Habibie in mind.
In that year, in the midst of the
Asian Financial Crisis
The Asian financial crisis was a period of financial crisis that gripped much of East Asia and Southeast Asia beginning in July 1997 and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown due to financial contagion. However, the recovery in 1998– ...
, this suggestion was received badly, causing the
rupiah
The rupiah (symbol: Rp; currency code: IDR) is the official currency of Indonesia. It is issued and controlled by Bank Indonesia. The name " rupiah" is derived from the Sanskrit word for silver, (). Sometimes, Indonesians also informally use ...
to fall. Despite this, Habibie was elected as vice president in March 1998.
Presidency (1998–1999)
![Habibie presidential oath](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Habibie_presidential_oath.jpg)
On 21 May 1998, just two months into Habibie's vice presidency, Suharto announced his resignation. Habibie, as the
Constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When ...
says, succeeded him as president. The following day, Habibie announced the
Development Reform Cabinet
The Development Reform Cabinet ( id, Kabinet Reformasi Pembangunan) was the Indonesian cabinet which served under President B. J. Habibie during his term as president from 23 May 1998 to 20 October 1999.
Despite having the word "Reform" as part ...
, which removed some of the most controversial ministers in Suharto's last cabinet while maintaining others – with no major figures from the opposition. Within days of his appointment, he asked his relatives to resign from government positions, promised an early election, repealed some legislation, and ordered the release of political prisoners.
East Timor
Habibie was opposed to
East Timorese independence but did offer East Timor special autonomy.
Timorese independence forces led by the
National Council of Timorese Resistance had been calling for a referendum in the territory for some time. Its chief diplomat,
José Ramos-Horta
José Manuel Ramos-Horta (; born 26 December 1949) is an East Timorese politician currently serving as president of East Timor since May 2022. He previously served as president from 20 May 2007 to 20 May 2012. Previously he was Minister of For ...
, proposed a transitional period of autonomy leading up to a referendum. In late 1998,
John Howard
John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007, holding office as leader of the Liberal Party. His eleven-year tenure as prime minister is the ...
, the Prime Minister of Australia, sent a letter to Habibie suggesting that Indonesia defuse the East Timorese issue by providing autonomy to be followed by the promise of a referendum in the long run, following the method used by France to settle
New Caledonian demands for independence. Wishing to avoid the impression that Indonesia ruled East Timor as a colony, Habibie surprised some by announcing that a
referendum
A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...
, offering a choice between special autonomy and independence, would be held immediately in East Timor. Leaders of the Indonesian armed forces (
ABRI
A rock shelter (also rockhouse, crepuscular cave, bluff shelter, or abri) is a shallow cave-like opening at the base of a bluff or cliff. In contrast to solutional caves ( karst), which are often many miles long, rock shelters are almost alwa ...
) were not consulted on this decision.
On 30 August 1999, the referendum was held and the East Timorese people overwhelmingly chose independence. Subsequently, pro-Indonesian militias killed and displaced large numbers of people during the
1999 East Timorese crisis
The 1999 East Timorese crisis began with attacks by pro-Indonesia militia groups on civilians, and expanded to general violence throughout the country, centred in the capital Dili. The violence intensified after a majority of eligible East Timo ...
. On 10 September, General
Wiranto
Wiranto (born 4 April 1947) is an Indonesian politician and former army general, who is serving as the chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council, since December 2019. Previously, he was the Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces from Feb ...
allegedly threatened to stage a military coup if Habibie allowed in peacekeeping forces, causing Habibie to back down. On 12 September, however, Habibie accepted a
UN-mandated peacekeeping force to halt violence.
A period of
UN administration followed and East Timor became independent in May 2002.
Suharto's corruption charge
The
MPR Special Session in November 1998 decried the presence of corruption in Indonesia, focusing particularly on Suharto. In response to this, Habibie then appointed
Andi Muhammad Ghalib
Andi Muhammad Ghalib (June 3, 1946 – May 9, 2016) was an Indonesian Military officer, politician, and diplomat. He served as the Attorney General of Indonesia from 1998 to 1999 within the Development Reform Cabinet of President B. J. Habibie. G ...
as
Attorney General.
A tape of a telephone conversation between Habibie and Ghalib was made public. It raised concerns about the veracity of the investigation by suggesting that the interrogation of Suharto was intended only for public appearances.
Under Habibie, the Indonesian government also began investigating and prosecuting Suharto's youngest son, Hutomo Mandala Putra (commonly known as
Tommy Suharto
Hutomo Mandala Putra (born 15 July 1962), commonly known as Tommy Suharto, is an Indonesian businessman, politician, and convicted murderer. The youngest son of Suharto, the second President of Indonesia, he has long had a reputation for nepoti ...
). Ghalib charged Tommy in December 1998 in conjunction with the Goro scandal, where the government, under pressure from Tommy, allegedly gave him a desirable parcel and below-market loan for the construction of a Goro supermarket. However, Tommy was found innocent in the case after several key witnesses, including Habibie aide Rahardi Ramelan, changed their testimony and declared that the deal did not cause losses to the state.
Habibie's government stabilized the economy in the face of the Asian financial crisis and the chaos of the last few months of Suharto's presidency. Habibie's government began to make conciliatory gestures towards
Chinese-Indonesians who, because of their elite status, were targeted in the
riots of 1998. In September 1998, Habibie issued a 'Presidential Instruction' forbidding use of the terms ''
pribumi
Native Indonesians, also known as ''Pribumi'' (), are Indonesians whose ancestral roots lie mainly in the archipelago, distinguished from Indonesians of known (partial) foreign descent, like Chinese Indonesians (Tionghoa), Arab Indonesians, India ...
'' and ''non-pribumi'' to differentiate indigenous and non-indigenous Indonesians.
In May 1999, Habibie directed that an ID card was sufficient proof of Indonesian citizenship, revoking the previous requirement for a 'Letter of Evidence of Republic of Indonesia Citizenship' (SBKRI). Additionally, he lifted restrictions on the teaching of
Mandarin Chinese
Mandarin (; ) is a group of Chinese (Sinitic) dialects that are natively spoken across most of northern and southwestern China. The group includes the Beijing dialect, the basis of the phonology of Standard Chinese, the official language of ...
.
Political reform
Under Habibie, Indonesia made significant changes to its political system that expanded competition and
freedom of speech. Shortly after taking office, in June 1998, Habibie's government lifted the Suharto-era restriction on political parties and ended censorship by dissolving the Information Ministry. He also quickly committed to holding democratic elections, albeit on an initially vague timetable. In December, he proposed political reform laws that were passed by the legislature and MPR. These laws set elections for December 1999, reduced the number of seats in parliament held by the military, and barred political activity by civil servants.
However, political opponents criticized Habibie for allowing the military to retain some seats in parliament, and taking little action on other military and judicial reforms.
Habibie's government also passed laws which granted significant autonomy to regional governments, namely at the
regency
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
and city level. The laws resulted in indirect elections for mayors and regents, and allowed local legislatures to hold said executives accountable, though it was not implemented until after his presidency.
End of presidency
Although he had been viewed as leading a transitional government, Habibie seemed determined to continue as president. He was initially unclear about whether he would seek a full term as president when he announced parliamentary elections in June 1998.
Habibie faced opposition from many within the government party, Golkar; in July 1998, he struggled to win control of Golkar by appointing
Akbar Tandjung
Djandji Akbar Zahiruddin Tandjung (born 14 August 1945), more commonly referred to as Akbar Tandjung, is an Indonesian politician who served as the Speaker of the People's Representative Council from 1999 until 2004. A member of the Golkar party ...
as chair of the party, but was ultimately able to defeat a rival camp including
former Vice President Try Sutrisno
Try Sutrisno (; born 15 November 1935) is an Indonesian politician and retired army general who served as the country's sixth vice president. He held the office from 11 March 1993 to 11 March 1998. Previously, he served as the Commander of th ...
,
Defence Minister Edi Sudrajat,
Siswono Yudhohusodo, and Sarwono Kusumaatmadja. Habibie began to lose support from Akbar Tandjung and a faction in Golkar, composed of both reformers and hardliners, that wanted to oust him. In March 1999, Golkar put forth five presidential nominees: Habibie, Tandjung, Wiranto,
Hamengkubuwono X
Sri Sultan Hamengkubawono X ( Hanacaraka: , also spelled as Hamengkubawana X, often abbreviated as HB X; born Bendara Raden Mas Herjuno Darpito, 2 April 1946) is the Sultan of the historic Yogyakarta Sultanate in Indonesia and is currently ...
, and
Ginandjar Kartasasmita
Ginandjar Kartasasmita (born 9 April 1941 in Bandung, West Java) is an Indonesian politician. He served a five-year term (2004–2009) as Speaker of Indonesia Regional Representative Council (DPD-RI).
Background
Ginandjar attended Kanisius Colleg ...
. In May 1999, after extensive lobbying, Golkar announced that Habibie would be their presidential candidate, but a large faction in the party remained loyal to Tandjung and opposed to Habibie. His political credibility was tarnished by the exposure of the 1999
Bank Bali scandal, in which banking funds were funneled to members of Habibie's re-election team.
At the 1999 MPR General Session in October, Habibie delivered an accountability speech. MPR members then began voting to decide if they would accept or reject his speech. Habibie attempted to win the support of the military by offering the vice-presidency to General Wiranto, but his offer was declined. Tandjung's Golkar faction broke ranks and voted against him, and his accountability speech was rejected by 355 votes to 322, and Habibie withdrew his nomination as president. He was succeeded by
Abdurrahman Wahid
Abdurrahman Wahid ( ; born Abdurrahman ad-Dakhil; 7 September 1940 – 30 December 2009), though more colloquially known as Gus Dur (), was an Indonesian politician and Islamic religious leader who served as the 4th president of Indonesia, fr ...
.
Post-presidency
![State Funeral Procession of President B](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/State_Funeral_Procession_of_President_B._J._Habibie%2C_Jakarta_-_12_September_2019.jpg)
After relinquishing the presidency, Habibie spent more time in Germany than in Indonesia, though he was active during
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's presidency as a presidential adviser. During this time, he established the Habibie Centre, an independent think tank.
In September 2006, he released a book called ''Detik-Detik Yang Menentukan: Jalan Panjang Indonesia Menuju Demokrasi'' (Decisive Moments: Indonesia's Long Road Towards Democracy). The book recalled the events of May 1998 which led to his rise to the presidency. In the book, he controversially accused
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
Prabowo Subianto
Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo (born 17 October 1951) is an Indonesian politician, businessman and former army lieutenant general who is the currently-appointed Minister of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia. He is the son of Sumitro Djojoh ...
, Suharto's son-in-law (at that time) and the
Kostrad
The Army Strategic Reserves Command ( id, Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat; abbreviated ) is a combined-arms formation of the Indonesian Army. Kostrad is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops. It also supervises operati ...
Commander, of planning a coup d'état against him in May 1998.
Death
In early September 2019, he was admitted to
Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital
Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital ( id, Rumah Sakit Pusat Angkatan Darat Gatot Soebroto, Gatot Soebroto Army Central Hospital; abbreviated as RSPAD Gatot Soebroto) is a hospital in Jakarta, Indonesia. The name of the hospital is derived from Gatot Soeb ...
, where he was undergoing treatments for heart problems, namely
cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is a group of diseases that affect the heart muscle. Early on there may be few or no symptoms. As the disease worsens, shortness of breath, feeling tired, and swelling of the legs may occur, due to the onset of heart failure. A ...
, and died on 11 September 2019.
He became the first
president of Indonesia
The President of the Republic of Indonesia ( id, Presiden Republik Indonesia) is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Indonesia. The president leads the executive branch of the Indonesian government and i ...
to be buried at the
Kalibata Heroes Cemetery
The National Main Heroes Cemetery in Kalibata ( id, Taman Makam Pahlawan Nasional Utama, Kalibata, colloquially known as Kalibata Heroes Cemetery ( id, Taman Makam Pahlawan Kalibata, or ''TMP Kalibata'') is a military cemetery in Kalibata, South ...
, next to his wife's grave.
In response to his death, the
Government of Indonesia announced a three-day national mourning period starting on 12 September, and announced that the Indonesian flag is to be flown at half-staff during the period.
On 12 September 2019, video was released showing
East Timor
East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-weste ...
's former
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
,
Xanana Gusmão
José Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmão (; born 20 June 1946) is an East Timorese politician. A former rebel, he was the third President of the independent East Timor, serving from 2002 to 2007. He then became its fourth prime minister, serving from ...
, visiting Habibie in hospital on 22 July 2019. Gusmão is shown talking briefly to Habibie while crying, then kissing Habibie on the forehead and lowering his face to Habibie's chest, with the other holding his head. A wreath in Gusmão's name was at the funeral, with a sign reading: "Profound Condolences – With heartfelt sympathy for the loss of Big Brother President B.J. Habibie – Timorese people will remember you forever – Rest in Peace - Xanana Gusmão".
[Video of Xanana Gusmao embracing BJ Habibie in hospital bed shared after former Indonesian leader's death](_blank)
Anne Barker, ABC News Online
ABC News, or ABC News and Current Affairs, is a public news service produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Broadcasting within Australia and the rest of the world, the service covers both local and world affairs.
The division of ...
, 13 September 2019
Family
![Foto Pernikahan Habibie - Ainun Adat Gorontalo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Foto_Pernikahan_Habibie_-_Ainun_Adat_Gorontalo.png)
Habibie was married to
Hasri Ainun Besari, a
medical doctor, from 12 May 1962 until her death on 22 May 2010. Their wedding was held in
Javanese and
Gorontalese culture. The couple had two sons, Ilham Akbar Habibie and Thareq Kemal Habibie.
B. J. Habibie's brother,
Junus Effendi Habibie, was Indonesian ambassador to the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. After his wife's death, Habibie published a book titled ''Habibie & Ainun'' which recounts his relationship with Hasri Ainun from their courtship until her death. The book was adapted into
a film of the same name which was released on 20 December 2012.
Honours, decorations, and distinctions
Habibie received several honorary degrees for his contributions in the fields of technology and science, e.g. he was awarded an Honorary
DSc DSC may refer to:
Academia
* Doctor of Science (D.Sc.)
* District Selection Committee, an entrance exam in India
* Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
Educational institutions
* Dalton State Col ...
degree from the
Cranfield Institute of Technology
, mottoeng = After clouds light
, established = 1946 - College of Aeronautics 1969 - Cranfield Institute of Technology (gained university status by royal charter) 1993 - Cranfield University (adopted current name)
, type = Public research uni ...
(
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
) and
Dr.h.c. degrees from
Chungbuk National University and
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (abbreviated as HUFS; Korean: 한국외국어대학교) is a private research university based in Seoul, in South Korea. HUFS consistently ranks as one of the best universities in South Korea. The university ...
(
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
) for his services to aircraft technology. In 2010, Habibie was honored with an Honorary
PhD degree in Technology by the
University of Indonesia
The University of Indonesia ( id, Universitas Indonesia, abbreviated as UI) is a public university in Depok, West Java and Salemba, Jakarta, Indonesia. It is one of the oldest tertiary-level educational institutions in Indonesia (known as the D ...
for his contribution to science in practice as a technocrat.
Habibie was appointed a
Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng) is an award and fellowship for engineers who are recognised by the Royal Academy of Engineering as being the best and brightest engineers, inventors and technologists in the UK and from aroun ...
(FREng) in 1990. In 1993, he was awarded an
Honorary Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (HonFRAeS). He was also named an honorary member of several professional bodies, including:
Timor-Leste
East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-weste ...
named
a bridge and park in Dili after Habibie shortly before his death.
![B](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/B.J._Habibie_with_presidential_decorations.jpg)
As vice president, and later president of Indonesia, he was automatically bestowed the highest class of all civilian and military
Star Decorations from Indonesia and received some foreign decorations, namely:
National honours
*
Star of the Republic of Indonesia, 1st Class ( id,
Bintang Republik Indonesia Adipurna) (27 May 1998)
*
![Bintang Republik Indonesia Adipradana rib](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Bintang_Republik_Indonesia_Adipradana_rib.svg)
Star of the Republic of Indonesia, 2nd Class ( id,
Bintang Republik Indonesia Adipradana) (12 March 1998)
*
![Bintang Mahaputera Adipurna rib](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Bintang_Mahaputera_Adipurna_rib.svg)
Star of Mahaputera, 1st Class ( id,
Bintang Mahaputera Adipurna) (12 March 1998)
*
![Bintang Mahaputera Adipradana rib](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Bintang_Mahaputera_Adipradana_rib.svg)
Star of Mahaputera, 2nd Class ( id,
Bintang Mahaputera Adipradana) (17 August 1982)
*
![Bintang Jasa Utama rib](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Bintang_Jasa_Utama_rib.svg)
Star of Merit, 1st Class ( id,
Bintang Jasa Utama) (27 May 1998)
*
![Bintang Budaya Parama Dharma rib](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Bintang_Budaya_Parama_Dharma_rib.svg)
Star of Culture Parama Dharma ( id,
Bintang Budaya Parama Dharma) (27 May 1998)
*
![Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama rib](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Bintang_Yudha_Dharma_Utama_rib.svg)
Star of Yudha Dharma, 1st Class ( id,
Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama) (27 May 1998)
*
![Bintang Kartika Eka Paksi Utama rib](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Bintang_Kartika_Eka_Paksi_Utama_rib.svg)
Star of Kartika Eka Paksi, 1st Class ( id,
Bintang Kartika Eka Paksi Utama) (27 May 1998)
*
![Bintang Jalasena Utama rib](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Bintang_Jalasena_Utama_rib.svg)
Star of Jalasena, 1st Class ( id,
Bintang Jalasena Utama) (27 May 1998)
*
![Bintang Swa Bhuwana Paksa Utama rib](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Bintang_Swa_Bhuwana_Paksa_Utama_rib.svg)
Star of Swa Bhuwana Paksa, 1st Class ( id,
Bintang Swa Bhuwana Paksa Utama) (27 May 1998)
*
![Bintang Bhayangkara Utama rib](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Bintang_Bhayangkara_Utama_rib.svg)
Star of Bhayangkara, 1st Class ( id,
Bintang Bhayangkara Utama) (27 May 1998)
*
![Satyalancana Dwidya Sistha](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Satyalancana_Dwidya_Sistha.gif)
Military Instructor Service Medal ( id,
Satyalancana Dwidya Sistha) (9 August 1982)
Foreign honours
:
*
![GER Bundesverdienstkreuz 6 GrVK Stern Band](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/GER_Bundesverdienstkreuz_6_GrVK_Stern_Band.svg)
Grand Cross of the
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...
(11 November 1980)
* :
**
![DE-NI Der Niedersächsische Verdienstorden (Gross) BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/DE-NI_Der_Nieders%C3%A4chsische_Verdienstorden_%28Gross%29_BAR.png)
Commander's Cross (''Großes Verdienstkreuz'') of the
Lower Saxony Order of Merit
The Lower Saxony Order of Merit (german: Niedersächsischer Verdienstorden) is a civil order of merit, of the German State of Lower Saxony. The order was established 27 March 1961. The order is presented in three classes, the highest is the Gra ...
(1 December 1980)
:
*
![JOR Order of Independence GC](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/JOR_Order_of_Independence_GC.svg)
Grand Cordon of the Order of Independence (Jordan), Order of Independence ''(Wisam al-Istiqial)'' (14 April 1986)
:
*
![Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Knight Grand Cross](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Order_of_Orange-Nassau_ribbon_-_Knight_Grand_Cross.svg)
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (25 May 1983)
:
*
![ESP Order of Civil Merit GC](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/ESP_Order_of_Civil_Merit_GC.svg)
Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit (14 May 1980)
:
*
![Order of Aeronautical Merit-Grand Cross-Chile](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Order_of_Aeronautical_Merit-Grand_Cross-Chile.png)
Grand Cross of Orders, decorations, and medals of Chile#Decorations for Meritorious Service, Aeronautical Merit (3 October 1985)
In popular culture
Movies
Habibie has been portrayed in several biopic movies based on both his political and personal life. In the first installment of ''Habibie & Ainun'' (2012) and its prequels, ''Rudy Habibie'' (2016) and ' (2019), Habibie is portrayed by Reza Rahadian, while Bima Azriel and Bastian Bintang Simbolon portrayed Habibie
during his childhood, and teenage years in ''Rudy Habibie'' respectively.
In the movie ''Di Balik 98'', Habibie was portrayed by Agus Kuncoro.
Notes
Bibliography
* Anwar, Dewi Fortuna (2010). "The Habibie presidency: Catapulting towards reform". In Edward Aspinall and Greg Fealy (eds.). ''Soeharto's New Order and Its Legacy: Essays in Honour of Harold Crouch''. pp. 99–117
online*
* Davidson, Jamie S. (2018). ''Indonesia: Twenty Years of Democracy''. Cambridge University Press.
* Ford, Michele (2000). "Continuity and change in Indonesian labour relations in the Habibie interregnum". ''Asian Journal of Social Science''. 28(2): 59–88.
* Juwono, Vishnu (2020). "One step forward, two steps back: The retrogression of governance reform and anti-corruption measure in Indonesia 1999–2001". ''Jurnal Politik''. 6(1): 123–148
*
*
In Indonesian
*
*
External links
*
The Habibie Center, an NGO founded by Habibie
{{DEFAULTSORT:Habibie, Bacharuddin Jusuf
1936 births
2019 deaths
Indonesian Muslims
Politicians from South Sulawesi
Bandung Institute of Technology alumni
Javanese people
Presidents of Indonesia
Vice presidents of Indonesia
Suharto family and associates
Habibie family, Bacharuddin
RWTH Aachen University alumni
Golkar politicians
German people of Indonesian descent
Naturalized citizens of Germany
Articles containing video clips
People from Parepare
20th-century Indonesian engineers
Deaths from cardiomyopathy