B.

J Habibi

Full Name: Prof. Dr.-Ing. H. Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie

Popular Name: BJ Habibie
Wife: Hasri Ainun Besari Place,
Date of Birth: Pare-pare, June 25, 1936
Period of Acting President: May 21, 1998-20 October 1999
Education: SMAK Dago, Bandung, Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), RWTH Aachen
Child: Ilham Akbar, Thareq Kemal Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie is the full name of BJ Habibie.
He was born on June 25, 1936 in Pare-Pare City, South Sulawesi. This third president of
Indonesia took high school education at SMAK Dago, Bandung in 1954. He then continued
his education at ITB (Bandung Institute of Technology). However, only a few months later at
ITB he decided to follow in the footsteps of his friends to study in Germany. But unlike the
others, he did not use a scholarship from the Minister of Education and Culture to continue
his studies in Germany but by using his own expenses from his mother, R.A. Tuti Marini
Puspowardojo. Considering Bung Karno's message about the importance of mastering
technology with national insight, namely maritime technology and aerospace technology
when Indonesia was still developing, BJ Habibie was given the opportunity to study in
Germany. At that time the Indonesian government under Sukarno was intensively financing
hundreds of intelligent Indonesian students to carry out education abroad and study there.
Habibie was the second group among hundreds of high school students who were
specifically sent to various countries. Then Habibie chose the Department of Engineering
with specialization in aircraft construction at the Rhein Westfalen Aachen Technische
Hochschule.
Habibie once worked at Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm, an airline based in Hamburg,
Germany, thus reaching the peak of his career as a vice president of technology. In 1973, he
returned to Indonesia at the request of former president Suharto.

He then served as the State Minister of Research and Technology from 1978 to March 1998.
Before serving as President (May 21, 1998 - October 20, 1999), B.J. Habibie was the Vice
President (March 14, 1998 - May 21, 1998) in the VII Development Cabinet under President
Soeharto. He was appointed as chairman of the ICMI (Association of Indonesian Muslim
Scholars), during his tenure as minister.
Presidential Period

Inauguration of President B.J. Habibie on May 21, 1998

Habibie inherited the chaotic state of the state after Soeharto's resignation in the New Order
era, leading to widespread riots and the integration of almost all parts of Indonesia.
Immediately after gaining power, President Habibie immediately formed a cabinet. One
important task is to get support from the International Monetary Fund and the community of
donor countries for economic recovery programs. He also freed political prisoners and
reduced control over freedom of opinion and organizational activities.

In the short era of his administration he succeeded in providing a solid foundation for
Indonesia, in the first place was born the Anti-Monopoly Law or the Healthy Competition
Law, the amendment to the Law on Political Parties and the most important was the Regional
Autonomy Law. Through the implementation of the regional autonomy law, the
disintegration turmoil inherited from the New Order era was successfully suppressed and
finally resolved in the era of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, without the existence of
a regional autonomy law Indonesia would certainly suffer the same fate as the Soviet Union
and Yugoslavia.

Appointment of B.J. Habibie as President caused various kinds of controversy for the people
of Indonesia. Pro parties consider Habibie's appointment to be constitutional. This is in
accordance with the provisions of article 8 of the 1945 Constitution which states that "if the
President dies, stops, or cannot perform his obligations within his term of office, he is
replaced by the Vice President until he expires". Whereas the counter party considers that the
appointment of B.J. Habibie is considered unconstitutional. This is contrary to the provisions
of Article 9 of the 1945 Constitution which states that "before the president takes office, the
president must take an oath or promise before the MPR or DPR".