bj habibie biography english

B. J. Habibie Biography

B. J. Habibie

Trained as an aeronautical engineer, Habibie worked as a vice president and director for technology application at the German aeronatics concern Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm bfor several years before he was recalled to Indonesia to oversee the country's state-owned high-tech industries. He worked under President Suharto for 20 years, first as minister of state for research and technology where he oversaw the attempted development of an Indonesian aircraft industry, and later as vice president. Habibie's days as vice president were few, however, as the economic troubles that had been festering under Suharto's crony capitalism boiled over just 10 weeks after Habibie's appointment. In May 1998, Suharto resigned after 32 years as undisputed head of state, handing the reins over to Habibie. Habibie quickly removed from office the most egregious examples of Suharto's nepotism in an attempt to distinguish himself from his predecessor and win favor with the emerging opposition factions. In 1999 he lost a parliamentary vote of confidence and he withdrew from the presidential race.

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BJ Habibie: Indonesian leader whose short tenure was marked by a shift to greater democracy

He attempted to steer a path away from the dictatorship of his predecessor suharto, and set in train the liberation of timor-leste, article bookmarked.

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Though he was president of Indonesia for just 512 days, Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, who has died aged 83, had an impact considered to be far out of proportion to the brevity of his tenure, marking as it did the beginning of a more liberal era in his country’s history with a move towards democracy after General Suharto ’s three-decade dictatorship.

BJ Habibie (as he was known) was born in Parepare Afdeling in the Dutch East Indies. His father, who died when he was 14, was an agriculturist and his mother came from an aristrocratic Javanese family. Habibie was the fourth of eight children.

Habibie travelled to the Netherlands to study aviation at the Delft University of Technology. However, the West New Guinea dispute, a conflict over territory between Indonesia and the Netherlands, interrupted his studies and he completed his degree at the RWTH Aachen University in Germany. He stayed on in Aachen as a research assistant while completing a doctorate.

Habibie was by now working for Waggonfabrik Talbot, designing train wagons, but he turned down the chance to progress in the rail industry to complete his dissertation in aerospace engineering and join Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm. There, he developed three eponymous theories in thermodynamics (the Habibie Factor), construction (the Habibie Theorem) and aerodynamics (the Habibie Method). He also worked on the development of the Airbus A300B, and was promoted to vice president in 1974.

That year, President Suharto, who saw the engineer as an important part of his drive to industrialise the nation, wooed Habibie back to Indonesia. Habibie began this new stage of his career at the state oil company Pertmamina but two years later was made CEO of Industri Pesawat Terbang Nurtanio, the state-owned business that would become Indonesian Aerospace. And in 1978, he made a step into government as minister of research and technology. This was the beginning of more than 20 years continuous service as a member of the Indonesian cabinet. Simultaneously, he headed 10 state-owned industries, including arms and energy.

• Diet Eman: Dutch resistance fighter who saved many lives in WWII

Habibie knew how to handle Suharto’s vanities. He referred to his boss as “SGS” (Super Genius Suharto) and cultivated the favour of the president’s wider family. It looked as though Habibie was being rewarded for his loyalty when Suharto named him as his vice presidential running mate in 1998. However, having won the election, Suharto suddenly resigned, leaving Habibie the top job and all the accompanying political and economic mess. Few expected Habibie to stay long in the role. He admitted in his memoir: “The slightly more optimistic predicted that I would not last more than 100 days.”

Once in power, however, Habibie seemed set to do things differently. He vowed to tackle the corruption of his predecessor’s regime, he lifted restrictions on political parties and the media and, during a speech on National Day, apologised for human rights violations under Suharto (although a day earlier he had decorated Suharto’s wife and son).

Habibie also turned his attention to Timor-Leste . The former Portuguese colony had been illegally occupied by Indonesia since 1975. Now Habibie offered the territory a referendum on self-determination. When the resulting vote for independence was met with violence from pro-Indonesian militias, Habibie allowed the intervention of a UN peacekeeping force. He also ordered the release of Xanana Gusmao, the resistance leader who would become independent Timor-Leste’s first president.

Alas, Timorese independence did not improve Habibie’s popularity at home. He had inherited a terrible economy from Suharto, with soaring inflation and unemployment. Meanwhile, his promise to tackle corruption rang hollow as charges against Suharto were dropped and several of Habibie’s colleagues were named in a banking scandal. As the 1999 presidential elections approached and Habibie’s support dropped below 10 per cent, he withdrew from the race.

• Indonesia deploys 1000 soldiers and cuts of internet in Papua

Habibie spent much of his retirement in Germany. He wrote an account of his presidency entitled Decisive Moments and invested in a popular tourist resort, Batam Island. When his wife died in 2010, he published a book about their relationship in her honour. ( Habibie and Ainun was subsequently made into a film series.)

Whether the changes that began in Indonesia under Habibie can be attributed to his personal conviction or to external pressures is unclear, but there’s little doubt that Habibie was a better president than Suharto.

On a wreath for his late friend, Gusmao, the man Habibie made president of newly independent Timor-Leste, declared: “Timorese people will remember you forever.”

Habibie is survived by two sons.

BJ Habibie, former Indonesian president, born 25 June 1936, died 11 September 2019

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Habibie’s lasting legacy for Indonesia

In his brief time as president, BJ Habibie enacted economic and democratic reforms that endure to this day.

Bacharuddin Jusuf “BJ” Habibie, third president of the Republic of Indonesia, passed away on 11 September in Jakarta. After serving as vice president under Suharto, Habibie succeeded him when political and economic crisis forced the president of three decades to resign in May 1998.

Although it lasted only 17 months, Habibie’s presidency was transformational. Before entering politics, Habibie had been a prominent aviation engineer educated in Germany and the Netherlands. Serving in the research and technology ministry in the early days of Suharto’s New Order regime, Habibie was known more for his skill in aircraft building and other high-tech industries than for his political agenda.

But today he is widely credited with the democratisation of Indonesia after the Suharto era, overseeing Indonesia’s first democratic legislative elections in 1999, and broadening freedom of speech. His democratic principles also led him to allow East Timor, now known as Timor-Leste, to vote on a referendum for autonomous status within Indonesia or outright independence.

He laid a strong foundation for Indonesia to continue evolving into an advanced country. His thinking was way ahead his time, and made an invaluable contribution to even the current development challenges facing the country.

He kick-started reforms that helped the economy recover from the 1997 Asian financial crisis and put Indonesia on the path to becoming the biggest democracy in the world. The economic reforms he established are still in effect today.

Despite much scepticism towards his economic capability, Habibie successfully led Indonesia out of the shocks of economic turmoil caused by the Asian financial crisis. Habibie understood that by 1998 Indonesia’s economic problems had become a crisis of trust, and not just the fault of neighbouring countries. He saw winning back investor confidence as the most critical issue.

Immediately after taking office as President, Habibie took steps to resolve the banking sector problem through a restructuring strategy, first by merging four state-owned banks, which then gave birth to Bank Mandiri, one of the biggest banks in Indonesia. He also established an independent central bank by separating Bank Indonesia from the government, so that Bank Indonesia would no longer be governed or pressured by the executive.

With the aim of restoring investor confidence, Habibie established the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA), the State Asset Management Unit, and the Monitoring and Settlement Agency for foreign debt issue. Habibie also enacted policies to strengthen the national economy, including the Monopolistic Practices and Unfair Competition Law , Consumer Protection Law , the Political Party Act , and the Regional Autonomy Law , which collectively brought back political and economic stability, resulting in an increased influx of foreign investments and strengthening of the local currency.

A year into Habibie’s presidency, Indonesia’s economic growth had slowly improved. The country experienced 13.1% negative growth in 1998 and only a year later the economy grew positively by 0.8%, a sign that the crisis was coming to an end.

Fiscal decentralisation – and the local democratisation it enabled – was among the Habibie administration’s most noteworthy achievements, a long-overdue initiative, given Indonesia’s diverse population, geographical complexity, and uneven economic development across provinces. The two laws on political and fiscal decentralisation Habibie enacted in May 1999 – which promoted government response to local concerns, increased accountability, and strengthened governance – entirely changed the relationship between central and regional government.

Habibie’s love for technology clearly informed his approach towards economic strategy. “Habibienomics” was based on the belief that the added value of technology would support economic growth. During his time as Minister of Research and Technology, Habibie demonstrated his forward thinking in adopting research and technology for industrial purposes,  and he aspired to build the quality of Indonesian human capital, envisioning the leap from an agrarian state to an industrialised country. Thus, he sent many young Indonesians overseas to study, and he initiated state-owned enterprises in advanced technology, such as aircraft, ships, communication equipment, and weaponry. It under the guidance of Habibie that Indonesia succeeded in manufacturing its own aircraft.

Years later, amid the rapid growth of globalisation, Habibie’s vision is still relevant. To survive, Indonesia needs to focus more on human capital, innovation, and productivity, as they fuel economic development. The country still lacks in innovation, especially in research and development activities, according to the Global Competitiveness Index 2018 – Indonesia spends less than 0.1% of GDP on research and development, ranking 112nd among 140 countries.

Current President Joko Widodo has set out the Indonesian Vision for his second term, promising to make the country a more productive and competitive nation by putting investment in human capital as the highest priority. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati states that one of the focuses in the 2020 fiscal policy is to increase the competitiveness and innovation of the Indonesian people to drive a balanced mix between domestic consumption, investments, and exports.

These initiatives are part of the tremendous legacy Habibie has left behind. He laid a strong foundation for Indonesia to continue evolving into an advanced country. His thinking was way ahead his time, and made an invaluable contribution to even the current development challenges facing the country. This short piece will not be able to sum up the whole dedication of President Habibie for Indonesia. He will be dearly missed. 

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BJ Habibie, who oversaw Indonesia’s transition to democracy, dies

Habibie, was an engineer, oversaw Indonesia’s transition to democracy and the referendum on East Timor’s independence.

Indonesia ‘s former President B J Habibie, who came to power during the country’s turbulent transition to democracy after former strongman leader Suharto stepped down in 1998, has died, his son said on Wednesday evening.

Habibie, 83, had been suffering from heart problems and was in hospital, Thareq Kemal Habibie told Metro TV.

An engineer by training, Habibie succeeded Suharto as Indonesia’s third president only months after becoming his deputy, just as the country was rocked by spasms of rioting and economic upheaval triggered by the Asian financial crisis.

His time in power was marked by his decision to allow a referendum on independence for the people of the former Portuguese colony of East Timor, which had been annexed by Indonesia in the 1970s.

In January 1999, Habibie said East Timor could have independence if its people rejected autonomy within Indonesia. The East Timorese voted in favour of independence triggering a wave of violence. The country is now known as Timor-Leste.

Habibie was born in June 1936 in South Sulawesi and studied aviation and aerospace engineering in Germany and the Netherlands before returning home in the mid-1970s.

Suharto asked him to help industrialise the country.

He chaired the state-owned aviation company Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara and then served as minister of research and technology for 20 years.

President Joko Widodo, in a televised speech announcing Habibie’s death, described Habibie as a “world-class scientist and the father of technology in Indonesia”.

Habibie served for just 17 months as president – he withdrew from contention in the October 1999 election – and was succeeded by Abdurrahman Wahid, popularly known as Gus Dur.

Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim paid tribute to Habibie as “family”, recalling the Indonesian’s support during his years in prison.

“He was no ordinary politician,” Anwar wrote on his Facebook page. “BJ Habibie spoke from confidence as well as conscience.”

Habibie is survived by his two sons.

Former president B.J. Habibie was the best research and technology minister Indonesia ever had

Former President of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Principal Scientist, Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology

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Sangkot Marzuki is a co-founder of The Conversation Indonesia and serves in the Governing Board.

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• Bahasa Indonesia

Former Indonesian president Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, who passed away on Wednesday in Jakarta at the age of 83, ushered in democratic reforms in his short period as president. But his longest-serving role was as minister of research and technology. There is no doubt the brilliant aircraft engineer was the best research minister Indonesia ever had.

Appointed minister of research and technology in 1978, Habibie had a clear strategy for how Indonesia should use science and technology to develop the nation. During his 20-year tenure as minister, he developed high-technology industries, such as aircraft manufacturing, supported science-driven biotechnology research (my area of work), sponsored thousands of young people for science fellowships abroad, and used his power to cut the stifling red tape that hampers scientific research.

He has inspired generations of Indonesians. Through his work, he changed many lives, including mine.

Biotechnology as a national priority

In 1990, I was leading a research lab on molecular biology at Monash University in Melbourne when a fax with a letterhead of Indonesia’s coat of arms, the mythical Garuda bird, came in. It was from Habibie. He asked me to return home to help develop research in biotechnology.

In those days it was becoming clear, with the advances in molecular biology such as the development of DNA sequencing and cloning, that biotechnology would be the basis of an industrial revolution in medicine, agriculture and many other things.

Habibie, who was developing Indonesia’s aircraft industries at the time, noticed the important scientific revolution that was happening in the field of molecular biology, one far from his own. This is a testament to his visionary thinking as the country’s minister of research and technology.

Read more: B.J. Habibie: Indonesia's president and brilliant engineer who pioneered the country's aircraft industry with passion

It was not an easy decision to return to Indonesia. I had been doing research in Australia for 20 years, producing groundbreaking findings on mitochondrial DNA mutations related to disease and ageing. I had Indonesian PhD students working at my lab in Melbourne, and I believed I could serve the country better through my work there.

Sitting in the minister’s office in Jakarta with all the models of aeroplanes on the table, he didn’t need me to tell him that biotechnology was the future. He understood it as much as I did.

I reminded him that the then defunct Research Laboratory for Pathology and Bacteriology, where Christiaan Eijkman worked on his Nobel Prize-winning findings on the relationship between vitamin B1 deficiency and beri-beri, was about to celebrate its 100-year anniversary.

I hadn’t finished my sentence suggesting reopening the institute, when he put his fist on the table and exclaimed: “That’s the way to do it. We should revive the institute!”

That immediate chemistry that we had and the challenge to reopen an institute that has a long historical legacy convinced me to return home. I led the institute for 22 years until 2014, and it has contributed to the development of science in the areas of human genetics, infectious diseases and genetic biodiversity.

The Eijkman Institute is only one of three biotechnology research centres he established. One that focused on agriculture was placed under the research centre at the Agriculture Ministry, and one that linked directly to industries was established under the Centre for Research, Science and Technology (Puspiptek).

Habibie’s support for biotechnology research spurred the opening of biotechnology courses in Indonesian universities.

He also established the Centre for Research, Science and Technology (Puspiptek), a science park that serves as a hub for scientific research. This visionary initiative inspired countries like Thailand and Malaysia to do the same, contributing to the development of science and research in the region.

Ahead of his time

Habibie was frequently misunderstood, but it was because he was too far ahead of his time in terms of his vision compared to the rest of Indonesia.

He was criticised when he sent young Indonesians, from high school graduates to postdoctoral researchers, on scientific fellowships abroad. Now, it’s common knowledge that exposure to international research will enrich the nation. But back during his time as minister of research, people questioned this program.

When we revived the Eijkman Institute, people also criticised naming the research centre after a Dutch scientist. But he understood that naming it after the Nobel-prize-winning scientist was important to send a signal to the world that Indonesia was determined to build on the legacy of Eijkman’s important work.

Habibie overcame his detractors by being consistent in his work to advance Indonesia’s research and technology sector. He was not afraid to cut red tape to allow research institutes that he established to develop without the bureaucratic hurdles that government agencies had to go through.

Inspiration for the young generation of scientists

As Indonesians receive the news of Habibie’s passing, homage for the beloved former president has flooded our social media timelines. I received one from Sudirman Nasir, a talented public health researcher from South Sulawesi, where Habibie also originated. In his message, Sudirman shared that as a child whenever an aeroplane flew over his small town, he and his friends would run and point to the aeroplane shouting that it’s Habibie’s plane.

Read more: As Indonesia marks 70 years of independence, young scientists look ahead to the 100th

Sudirman became one of the authors of the book Science 45: An Indonesian Science Agenda Towards a Century of Independence, produced by the Young Indonesia Academy of Science. Habibie hosted the launch of this book at his home in 2015. Sudirman wrote that, at the time, he could not believe his eyes seeing his idol in front of him. Such is the inspiration Habibie generates in others.

With limited resources but a clear vision, Habibie had dared to dream big and introduced innovative approaches to support the research sector. Now it’s up to us to keep his legacies alive.

The Indonesian Academy of Sciences supports The Conversation Indonesia as host partner.

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B. J. Habibie

B.J. Habibie Dies at 83; Ushered in Democracy in Indonesia

Though he served as the country’s president for only 17 months, he played a crucial role in ending a harsh 32-year dictatorship.

By Richard C. Paddock

Pressure in Jakarta Builds So Far in Orderly Fashion

Indonesian Parliament to convene special session of People's Consultative Assembly on Aug 1 to consider removing Pres Abdurrahman Wahid from office; he would be country's third leader to be ousted in last three years; unlike previous political upheavals, this one is unfolding with remarkable order; Wahid ostensibly believes legislators have overreached their authority, and he has not even responded to Parliament's vote; but he is allowing process to grind on, giving people hope that this transition will be managed more peacefully than Suharto's and B J Habibie's (M)

By Mark Landler

Indonesia's Presidential Flash in the Pan

B J Habibie, who took over power in Indonesia after Pres Suharto resigned in 1998, has quickly become an irrelevance in country's political scene; during his 17 months as head of state, he pursued steady course toward democracy, dismantling dictatorship that Suharto put in place during 32 years in power; Habibie freed press, labor unions and political parties, and began slow process of pulling military out of politics; then, he became first Indonesian president ever to be voted out of office--event he calls one of his proudest achievements; Habibie was widely seen as eccentric and lightweight when Suharto appointed him vice president; Suharto thought this clearly unqualified man would quiet critics calling for him to step down; photo; map (M)

By Seth Mydans

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS; An Indonesian Banker, on Trial, Finds Fame Is No Friend

Rudy Ramli, former president of Indonesia's Bank Bali, is at heart of financial scandal that has shaken Jakarta, even contributing to downfall of president, B J Habibie, who withdrew from last month's election in Parliament rather than face likelihood of defeat; last summer, Ramili admitted paying $80 million to company with ties to Habibie's Golkar party; money was commission to help him recover loans owed to Bank Bali and other banks; Ramli is charged with violating banking laws by concealing that payment from Indonesia's central bank; Ramli, in interview, says he regrets making payment; insists he had no choice if he was to save family-owned bank he had taken over from his father in 1992; Bank Bali was taken over by Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency, which ousted him and turned over management to Standard Chartered PLC of London; photo (M)

EX-INDONESIA CHIEF GETS PARDON VOW

Indonesian Pres Abdurrahman Wahid says he has decided to pardon nation's former leader, Pres Suharto, if Suharto is convicted of crimes as result of investigation into whether he and his family stole billions of dollars from government; says corruption investigation will go forward, Suharto will be pardoned only after trial, and that former leader's children and friends will not be treated with similar leniency; says he will also pardon his immediate predecessor, B J Habibie, should he be accused of any crime (M)

By Philip Shenon

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS; Indonesia Releases Bank Audit, Hastening I.M.F. Help

Indonesia's Parliament publishes long-awaited report on banking scandal that helped bring down administration of former Pres B J Habibie, and International Monetary Fund says move clears way for it to resume $43 billion economic rescue package by middle of December; World Bank and newly elected Indonesian president, Abdurrahman Wahid, speaker of Parliament, Akbar Tanung, agree not to wait for two committees to deliberate report; senior economics minister, Kwik Kian Gie, gives report to IMF's Asia-Pacific director, Hubert Neiss; release of report is likely to help allay foreign investor concerns about Indonesia's commitment to economic change (M)

By Wayne Arnold

Indonesia To Revive Investigation Of Suharto

Indonesian Pres Abdurrahman Wahid says his Government will reopen corruption inquiry into former Pres Suharto that was dropped as one of final acts of former Pres B J Habibie (M)

INDONESIA CHOOSES AN ISLAMIC CLERIC AS NEW PRESIDENT

Indonesia's electoral assembly, in nation's first democratic transfer of power, choses respected Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid as President; Wahid defeats Megawati Sukarnoputri, who won plurality of seats in June election, 373-313; surprise result follows fast-moving coalition building after Pres B J Habibie withdrew his candidacy; Wahid's message of tolerance, inclusion and self-respect makes him acceptable to most minorities; vote spurs violence on streets of Jakarta by street thugs and some of Megawati's disappointed supporters; photo (M)

WORLD BUSINESS BRIEFING: ASIA; MOVEMENT IN BANK BALI SCANDAL

International Monetary Fund and World Bank welcome decision by Indonesia's Supreme Court authorizing release to Parliament of confidential report said to implicate top officials in Bank Bali political corruption scandals; state auditors say releasing report, results of audit of payments by Bank Bali to company connected to party of Pres B J Habibie, will violate Indonesian bank secrecy laws; IMF and World Bank have suspended payments in aid package worth more than $40 billion; Finance Min Bambang Subianto comments; photo (S)

STUNG BY DEBATE, INDONESIAN LEADER ENDS ELECTION BID

Indonesia's Pres B J Habibie, who succeeded Pres Suharto after forced resignation in May 1998, withdraws Presidential election bid after newly elected National Assembly condemns his record and rejects his recent state of the nation address; says he is satisfied with his term in office and is happy that democracy has started in Indonesia; decision leaves opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri and Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid as opponents in Presidential election; assembly votes to accept results of August 30 referendum, in which 87.5 percent of people of East Timor voted for independence; photos (M)

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Top 10 Interesting Facts about B. J Habibie

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1. Habibie was a brilliant engineer

Official state portrait of President B.J. Habibie of Indonesia Presidential Secretariat of the Republic of Indonesia. Image by (Sekretariat Presiden Republik Indonesia) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (Kementerian Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia) – Wikimedia

2. He is the only Indonesia President to have had a technocratic background

Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie Datum. Image by Rob Bogaerts / Anefo – Wikimedia

3. Habibie is the shortest serving Vice President and President in Indonesia

4. Habibie was a reformist

BJ Habibie & her mother Tuti Marini. Image by National Library of Indonesia – Wikimedia

5. He was not a fan of Suharto’s dictatorship

Monument of Habibie. Image by MesinKetik – Wikimedia

6. Habibie let East Timor become independent

7. he protected suharto and his family from corruption investigations, 8. habibie’s 48-year marriage became the subject of two popular movies in indonesia.

Habibie, former President of Indonesia, with his wife, Ainun. Image by Office of the Vice President The Republic of Indonesia – Wikimedia

9. He was a major contributor to Indonesia’s aircraft industry

Patung B.J. Habibie. Image by Fiqhi Rizky – Wikimedia

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About: B. J. Habibie

Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie (Indonesian: [baxaˈrudːin ˈjusuf haˈbibi]; 25 June 1936 – 11 September 2019) was an Indonesian engineer and politician who was the third president of Indonesia from 1998 to 1999. Less than three months after his inauguration as the seventh vice president in March 1998, he succeeded Suharto who resigned after 31 years in office. His presidency was seen as a landmark and transition to the Reformation era. 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.