- In full:
- Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie
- Born:
- June 25, 1936, Parepare, Indonesia
- Died:
- September 11, 2019, Jakarta (aged 83)
- Title / Office:
- president (1998-1999), Indonesia
B.J. Habibie
-
Who was B.J. Habibie?
Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie (1936–2019) was an Indonesian aircraft engineer and politician who served as Indonesia's president from 1998 to 1999.
Habibie was a leader in Indonesia’s technological and economic development during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. President Suharto, who had known Habibie for 25 years, asked him to return to Indonesia to help build advanced industries. Habibie became a government advisor and chief of a new aerospace company in 1976. Two years later, he became research minister and head of the Agency for Technology Evaluation and Application.
In March 1998, Suharto appointed Habibie vice president. Two months later, Habibie was thrust unexpectedly into the country’s top position when Suharto resigned amidst large-scale violence in Jakarta. As president, Habibie implemented major reforms, including arranging for free parliamentary and presidential elections.
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When did B.J. Habibie become president of Indonesia?
B.J. Habibie served as Indonesia's president from 1998 to 1999. He unexpectedly assumed the position on May 21, 1998, following Suharto's resignation amidst widespread unrest and an economic crisis. Habibie then initiated significant reforms, including forming a new cabinet and allowing a free press.
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Why did B.J. Habibie become president?
B.J. Habibie became Indonesia's president on May 21, 1998, after President Suharto resigned. Suharto's resignation was prompted by large-scale violence in Jakarta amidst a deteriorating economic situation in Indonesia. The Asian economic crisis had crippled the Indonesian economy, leading to public unrest and a loss of support for Suharto, which led to his resignation. As vice president, Habibie was then unexpectedly thrust into the country’s top position and immediately began implementing major reforms.
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What were some major events during Habibie's presidency?
B.J. Habibie served as Indonesia's president from 1998 to 1999, stepping into the role after Suharto's resignation amidst significant political and economic upheaval.
Key events during his brief presidency:
* Economic Reform: Habibie inherited an economy crippled by the Asian financial crisis. He sought to stabilize the economy and implement reforms.
* Political Liberalization: Habibie initiated major reforms, including releasing political prisoners, allowing a free press, and establishing a committee to draft less-restrictive political laws.
* East Timor Independence: Habibie offered East Timor a choice between special autonomy and independence, with the territory ultimately choosing independence.
* Election and Transition: He arranged for free parliamentary and presidential elections in 1999. Although he ran for president, he withdrew his candidacy, leading to Abdurrahman Wahid's victory.2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did B.J. Habibie impact Indonesia's democracy?
As president of Indonesia (1998–99), B.J. Habibie initiated significant democratic reforms. Unexpectedly taking office in May 1998, he promptly formed a new cabinet, released political prisoners, and allowed a free press.
Habibie also set the stage for free parliamentary and presidential elections in June 1999, the first since 1955, and established presidential term limits. Furthermore, he offered East Timor a choice between autonomy and independence, which resulted in the latter. Although Habibie ran for president in 1999, he withdrew his candidacy shortly before Abdurrahman Wahid won the election.
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What were B.J. Habibie’s contributions after his presidency?
After his presidency, B.J. Habibie stepped away from politics, but he remained active through the Habibie Center, a political research institute he founded in 2000. During his brief term as president (1998-1999), Habibie initiated significant democratic reforms, including releasing political prisoners, allowing a free press, and arranging for free elections. He also offered East Timor a choice between autonomy and independence, which led to the latter.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
B.J. Habibie (born June 25, 1936, Parepare, Indonesia—died September 11, 2019, Jakarta) was an Indonesian aircraft engineer and politician who was president of Indonesia (1998–99) and a leader in the country’s technological and economic development in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Brilliant in science and mathematics from childhood, Habibie received his postsecondary education at the Bandung Institute of Technology in Bandung, Indonesia, and furthered his studies at the Institute of Technology of North Rhine–Westphalia in Aachen, West Germany. After graduating in 1960, he remained in West Germany as an aeronautics researcher and production supervisor.
Suharto took power as Indonesia’s second president in 1966, and in 1974 he asked Habibie—whom he had known for 25 years—to return to the country to help build advanced industries. Suharto assured him that he could do whatever was needed to accomplish that goal. Initially assigned to the state oil company, Pertamina, Habibie became a government adviser and chief of a new aerospace company in 1976. Two years later he became research minister and head of the Agency for Technology Evaluation and Application. In these roles he oversaw a number of ventures involving the production and transportation of heavy machinery, steel, electronics and telecommunications equipment, and arms and ammunition.
Habibie believed his enterprises ultimately would spawn high-tech ventures in the private sector and allow the country to climb the technology ladder. In 1993 he unveiled the first Indonesian-developed plane, which he helped design, and in the following year he launched a plan to refurbish more than three dozen vessels bought from the former East German navy at his initiative. The Finance Ministry balked at the cost of the latter endeavour, while the armed forces thought that its turf had been violated. Nevertheless, Habibie got more than $400 million for refurbishing.
Meanwhile, in 1990 Habibie was appointed head of the Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals Association, and during the 1993 central-board elections of the country’s ruling party, Golkar, Habibie helped the children and allies of President Suharto rise to top positions, easing out long-standing military-backed power brokers. By the late 1990s Habibie was viewed as one of several possible successors to the aging Suharto.
In March 1998 Suharto appointed Habibie to the vice presidency, and two months later, in the wake of large-scale violence in Jakarta, Suharto announced his resignation. Thrust unexpectedly into the country’s top position, Habibie immediately began to implement major reforms. He appointed a new cabinet; fired Suharto’s eldest daughter as social affairs minister as well as his longtime friend as trade and industry minister; named a committee to draft less-restrictive political laws; allowed a free press; arranged for free parliamentary and presidential elections the following year; and agreed to presidential term limits (two five-year terms). He also granted amnesty to more than 100 political prisoners.
In 1999 Habibie announced that East Timor, a former Portuguese colony that had been invaded by Indonesia in 1975, could choose between special autonomy and independence; the territory chose independence. Indonesia held free general elections (the first since 1955) in June, as promised. Later that year Habibie ran for president, but he withdrew his candidacy shortly before the October election, which was won by Abdurrahman Wahid. After Wahid took office, Habibie essentially stepped out of politics, although in 2000 he established the Habibie Center, a political research institute.
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