12th Speaker of the People's Representative Council
In office 1 October 1997 – 30 September 1999
President
Suharto
B. J. Habibie
Preceded by
Wahono
Succeeded by
Akbar Tandjung
6th General Chairman of Golkar
In office 24 October 1993 – 11 July 1998
Preceded by
Wahono
Succeeded by
Akbar Tandjung
22nd Minister of Information
In office 19 March 1983 – 16 March 1997
President
Suharto
Preceded by
Ali Murtopo
Succeeded by
R. Hartono
Personal details
Born
(1939-02-07)7 February 1939 Patianrowo, Nganjuk, Oost-Java, Dutch East Indies
Died
4 July 2021(2021-07-04) (aged 82) Gatot Soebroto Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
Cause of death
COVID-19
Resting place
Kalibata Heroes Cemetery
Political party
Independent
Other political affiliations
Golkar (1977–2007)
PKN (2007–2008)
Spouse
Sri Romadhiyati
(m. 1972; died 2021)
Occupation
Politician
journalist
Harmoko[1] (7 February 1939 – 4 July 2021), colloquially referred to as Bung Harmoko, was an Indonesian politician and journalist who was active during the New Order era. He served as the Speaker of the People's Representative Council from 1997 until 1999, and was a factor in president Suharto's resignation during the widespread student demonstrations which occurred at the end of the New Order.
Born from humble origins in East Java, on 7 February 1939, Harmoko graduated from journalistic school, and became a journalist. He was active during the Guided Democracy and New Order regimes, working in a number of different newspapers, including Merdeka, Merdiko, and Harian Mimbar Kita. In 1970, he founded his own newspaper, the Pos Kota in Jakarta. In 1970, he was elected as the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) branch in Jakarta, and two years later, he was elected as the General Chairperson of the entire PWI.
In 1977, Harmoko was elected a member of the People's Representative Council, as a member of the ruling Golkar organization. In 1983, he was appointed Minister of Information, likely due to his background in journalism. His skill at maintaining the New Order's image and Suharto's appearance led to him being dubbed the 'influencer-in-chief'. In 1993, Harmoko was elected as the Chairman of Golkar, becoming the first civilian to hold the post. In June 1997, he was appointed state minister for special affairs, a post he held for only three months as in October 1997, he was chosen to serve as the Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly and People's Representative Council.
Despite years of loyalty to President Suharto, following widespread student demonstrations calling for a change of government, Harmoko caused great surprise at a press conference by asking the president to step down within five days. Likely due to the fact that he may have been upset by his dismissal as information minister, his dismissal as a possible vice presidential candidate, and his house being burned down by protesters. Suharto saw Harmoko's request as a betrayal, while Tadjus Sobirin, the former chairman of Golkar's Jakarta branch called Harmoko "Brutus" during a leadership meeting of the party, a reference to Roman senator Marcus Junius Brutus, who assassinated his great-uncle Julius Caesar. Harmoko died on 4 July 2021 at the Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital due to COVID-19, and was buried the following day at Kalibata Heroes Cemetery.
^"Putra Harmoko: Nama Ayah Saya Bukan Singkatan dari Harun Mohamad Kohar". 14 April 2022.
Harmoko (7 February 1939 – 4 July 2021), colloquially referred to as Bung Harmoko, was an Indonesian politician and journalist who was active during the...
the New Order, Harmoko, and several partners, including John Surjawinata, Tahar S. Abiyasa, and Pansa Tampubolon. Before that, Harmoko made a survey in...
loyalists of Suharto. Suharto himself saw Harmoko's request as a betrayal and loyalists referred to Harmoko as "Brutus", a reference to the Roman Senator...
Consultative Assembly In office 3 October 1999 – 30 September 2004 Preceded by Harmoko Succeeded by Hidayat Nur Wahid Personal details Born Muhammad Amien Rais...
background as officers. It was only in the last years of Suharto's rule that Harmoko, a civilian, was elected as Golkar chairman. Golkar continued to dominate...
government came to be dominated by civilian politicians such as Habibie, Harmoko, Ginandjar Kartasasmita, and Akbar Tanjung, who owed their position solely...
cabinet was unique, with President Suharto moved the Minister of Information Harmoko to the office of State Minister of Special Affairs (Indonesian: Menteri...
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Asrul Dahlan as Sintong Panjaitan Iang Darmawan as Harmoko Dili Syaukat as Prabowo Subianto Eduwary Manalu as Amien Rais "Tantangan...
Preceded by Harmoko Succeeded by Agung Laksono 7th General Chairman of the Golkar Party In office 11 July 1998 – 19 December 2004 Preceded by Harmoko Succeeded...
Succeeded by Harmoko 5th General Chairman of Golkar In office 25 October 1988 – 24 October 1993 Preceded by Sudharmono Succeeded by Harmoko 9th Governor...
Wanandi, Muhammad Chudori, Eric Samola, Fikri Jufri, Goenawan Mohamad, and Harmoko, Oetama also co-founded The Jakarta Post, Indonesia's national English...
candidates voiced support for Prabowo. In 2007, former information minister Harmoko, also a former chairman of Golkar, founded the National People’s Party...
television network. Evening programming was launched by Minister of Information Harmoko. RCTI was initially broadcast to Greater Jakarta area as a local pay television...
weeks leading up to the Congress, Suharto supporters, such as Habibie and Harmoko campaigned against Abdurrahman's re-election. When it came time for the...
This subgenre was briefly banned from being broadcast on TVRI in 1988 by Harmoko, Indonesia's then Minister of Information. In contrast, creative pop is...
of Suharto, Sobirin called for then-chairman of Golkar Harmoko to step down, saying that Harmoko had betrayed Suharto by asking for the latter to resign...
general elections participants, Megawati can be seen standing alongside Harmoko and Ismail Hasan Metareum, the other two chairmen. Pemilu Legislatif 1997...
data is for the city of Nganjuk. Shendy Puspa Irawati, badminton player Harmoko, Former chairman of People's Representative Council in the Era of President...
Said (1982–1983) Soepardjo Rustam 1983–1988 As Minister of Information: Harmoko (1983–1988) As Minister of Justice: Ali Said (1983–1984) Ismail Saleh (1984–1988)...
gave to Habibie and Head of People's Representative Council/MPR Chairman Harmoko a manifesto entitled "The Fundamentals of ABRI's Philosophy on Reform Towards...
establishment of the paper was further aided by incoming Information Minister Harmoko, who received five percent interest for his role in acquiring a license...
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