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Former ambassador Djoko dies at 54
Djoko Susilo - JP/Wendra AjistyatamaDjoko Susilo, politician and former Indonesian ambassador to Switzerland, passed away on Tuesday after he suffered a heart attack while on his way to a colleagueâs house in Ciganjur, South Jakarta
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Djoko Susilo - JP/Wendra Ajistyatama
Djoko Susilo, politician and former Indonesian ambassador to Switzerland, passed away on Tuesday after he suffered a heart attack while on his way to a colleague's house in Ciganjur, South Jakarta. He was 54.
The former journalist and National Mandate Party (PAN) politician, who led the Indonesian embassy in Switzerland between 2010 and 2014, was driven to a nearby hospital for medical treatment but passed away during the journey.
Djoko's body has been returned to his home in Sentul, Bogor, and will remain there until his burial.
PAN lawmaker Taufik Kurniawan has expressed his deep condolences over the loss of one of the PAN party's best members, calling Djoko a political role model.
'PAN has lost one of its co-founders. The passing of our brother Djoko Susilo is felt as a deep loss. He had a notable track record as a former House of Representatives legislator and ambassador to Switzerland as well as for his time as a senior journalist for national media,' said Taufik.
The House deputy speaker also said that young cadres of PAN could learn from Djoko's integrity as this remained critical no matter where he assumed leadership roles during his decades-long career.
'He has a renowned idealism in politics and in society,' Taufik added.
His duty as Indonesian ambassador to Switzerland was not an easy task. During his posting he faced a number of tough assignments.
Given his background as a journalist, he was known as a figure who applied diplomacy with journalistic intuition.
Besides dealing with daily tasks at the embassy, Djoko spent much of his time meeting Swiss businesspeople in hopes they would invest in Indonesia and also helped to promote Indonesian products.
Djoko was well respected by embassy staff and had been known as an outspoken ambassador. He criticized the government's rigid budget system, suggesting that it made diplomatic missions less effective and inefficient.
He also criticized a study tour conducted by lawmakers from the House, calling it a good way to spend state money for nothing.
Born in Boyolali, Central Java, on June 6, 1961, Djoko worked as a correspondent of the Surabaya-based Jawa Pos in Washington from 1988 until 1992.
He also served as the newspaper's deputy chief editor from 1992 until 1994 before obtaining a legislative seat with PAN from 1994 to 2004.
In October 2010, he was appointed ambassador of Indonesia to Switzerland and accredited to the Principality of Liechtenstein.
Djoko is married to Firda, a 2009 PAN legislative candidate, and they have three children.
In 2011, Djoko was appointed by the government to communicate with world governing body for soccer, FIFA, over problems shrouding the election of the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) chairman.
At the time of his passing, Djoko was still an active member of the government-sanctioned transition team conducting reform at the PSSI.
