In this episode, we commemorate the life and legacy of our former President, B.J. Habibie, who passed away on September 11, 2019, at the age of 83 years old. Considered by many as the father of Indonesian innovation and technology, Habibie was thrust into the limelight in 1998 when he became president following the May 1998 riots and the fall of Suharto. Even though he was trained as an engineer, Habibie showed incredible leadership and political acumen to guide the country through an incredibly tense and tumultuous time, and without him we would not have the democracy we have today. We want to take this time to really remember his life, his work, and the values and principles he believed in — values and principles surrounding democracy and diversity that we, as the future generation, need to keep working for and fighting for.
Thanks for listening!
For those interested in learning more about the topic, we’ve provided links to resources as well as other recommended readings.
Former president B. J. Habibie dies at 83 — courtesy of the Jakarta Post
Indonesia’s Habibie, president during transition to democracy, dies at 83 — courtesy of Reuters
BJ Habibie, who oversaw Indonesia’s transition to democracy, dies — courtesy of Al-Jazeera
Habibie’s legacy of Reformasi in Indonesia — courtesy of the Lowy Institute
Video shows tender goodbye between dying former Indonesian president and Timor-Leste leader — courtesy of the Guardian
B.J. Habibie: Presiden Peralihan, Peletak Dasar Demokrasi Indonesia — courtesy of Tirto
Mengenang Habibie, Mengenang Pembela Perempuan — courtesy of Tirto
Habibie Menyemai Demokrasi Indonesia dari Kemang Selatan — courtesy of Tirto
B.J. Habibie Remembers His Wife, Ainun — courtesy of BeritaSatu
Eyang Habibie Menjawab Soal Kids Zaman Now — courtesy of Najwa Shihab
MUSIC CREDITS:
SOUL HIGH by RYAN LITTLE
MONTMARTRE by JAHZAAR
NIGHT OWL and THE GREAT by BROKE FOR FREE