J

akarta: Former communications and information minister Syamsul Muarif passed away on Tuesday in Singapore, where he was undergoing medical treatment.

The former Golkar politician died at 8:25 a.m. Jakarta time.

Mass organization National Democrats executive Ferry Mursyidan Baldan confirmed the news.

Syamsul was the secretary-general of the organization, which was founded by former senior Golkar politician and media tycoon Surya Paloh.

“Yes, Pak Syamsul just passed away this morning. I am still at the hospital with his family,” Ferry said as quoted by tempo.co.

Syamsul’s remains will be flown to Indonesia and a 10-hour wake held at Halim Perdanakusumah Airport in East Jakarta, after which the body will be flown to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, for burial.

Born in Kandangan, Hulu Sungai Selatan, on Dec. 8, 1948, the former deputy general of the Golkar Party’s central executive board (DPP) earned a bachelor’s degree from the Antasari State Academy of Islamic Studies (IAIN).

He was communications and information minister during the 2000-2004 Megawati Soekarnoputri administration. He also chaired the Golkar faction at the House of Representatives from 1999-2001.

In 2010, Syamsul and other senior Golkar figures such as Yogyakarta’s Sultan Hamengkubuwono X co-founded the National Democrats organization with Surya Paloh. Surya co-founded the organization shortly after he lost the Golkar chairmanship race to businessman Aburizal Bakrie.

The sultan left the organization in July after the emergence of the Nasdem Party.  (asa)