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View all search resultsLack of transparency in national history: The Habibie case
Habibie’s greatest service was transforming Soeharto’s authoritarian regime into a democracy.
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President BJ Habibie announces his Reform/Development Cabinet, which comprised 20 members of the previous lineup and 16 newcomers. Habibie vowed to build a clean and independent government when he announced the new cabinet on May 22, 1998, at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta. JP/Alex Rumi (JP/Alex Rumi)
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n Dec. 14, 2025, the Culture Ministry launched the History of Indonesia book series consisting of 10 volumes. However, as of early April, the books have not yet been printed or widely distributed, meaning they are still inaccessible to the public.
Will their fate be the same as the Indonesia Dalam Arus Sejarah (Indonesia in the Flow of History) books, which were only printed in 2012 after their materials had been available for a decade?
In volume 10, the history of post–New Order presidents, including president Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, will be discussed. The public does not yet know what is written about the Habibie period, which include the dismissal of Prabowo Subianto as Army Strategic Reserves commander (Pangkostrad). Will Habibie be blamed because during his presidency East Timor separated from Indonesia? According to senior historian Taufik Abdullah, with the separation of East Timor, Indonesia returned to the republic as it had been when it first gained independence in 1945.
Is President Prabowo Subianto still upset with Habibie? Has he forgiven the third President of Indonesia for the incident that occurred 28 years ago?
On May 22, 1998, Prabowo went to the Palace to meet President Habibie. Sintong Panjaitan ensured that standard security procedures were followed: visitors to the President were not allowed to carry weapons. Prabowo questioned why he had been dismissed by Habibie as Pangkostrad. According to Habibie, there had been movements of Kostrad troops toward the Palace and his residence that were not reported to then Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander.
On Nov. 10, 2025, Indonesia’s second president Soeharto and fourth president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid were appointed as national heroes after being proposed for the honor since 2010. It seems the third President was skipped. Was this intentional because Prabowo is still angry with Habibie? But was it not that Habibie’s political decision was taken as President rather than due to any personal hostility toward Prabowo?
Habibie had the ability to persuade people, including Soeharto. Their relationship had indeed been established for a long time. In 1950, Habibie was 13 years old when his father died of a heart attack while performing the Isha prayer at their home in Ujung Pandang. At that time, Soeharto, who was stationed in the area, closed his father’s eyes, offered prayers and comforted the entire family.
