Biography of B.J.

Habibie
B.J. Habibie, in full Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie (born June 25, 1936, Parepare, Indon.), Indonesian aircraf en!ineer and poli ician "ho "as presiden of Indonesia (199#$99) and a leader in he coun r%&s echnolo!ical and econo'ic de(elop'en in he la e 2) h and earl% 21s cen uries. Brillian in science and 'a he'a ics fro' childhood, Habibie recei(ed his pos secondar% educa ion a he Bandun! Ins i u e of *echnolo!% in Bandun!, Indon., and fur hered his s udies a he Ins i u e of *echnolo!% of +or h ,hine-.es phalia in /achen, ..0er. /f er !radua in! in 196), he re'ained in 0er'an% as an aeronau ics researcher and produc ion super(isor. 1uhar o oo2 po"er as Indonesia&s second presiden in 1966, and in 1934 he as2ed Habibie5"ho' he had 2no"n for 25 %ears5 o re urn o he coun r% o help build ad(anced indus ries. 1uhar o assured hi' ha he could do "ha e(er "as needed o acco'plish ha !oal. Ini iall% assi!ned o he s a e oil co'pan%, Per a'ina, Habibie beca'e a !o(ern'en ad(iser and chief of a ne" aerospace co'pan% in 1936. *"o %ears la er he beca'e research 'inis er and head of he /!enc% for *echnolo!% 6(alua ion and /pplica ion. In hese roles he o(ersa" a nu'ber of (en ures in(ol(in! he produc ion and ranspor a ion of hea(% 'achiner%, s eel, elec ronics and eleco''unica ions e7uip'en , and ar's and a''uni ion. Habibie belie(ed his en erprises ul i'a el% "ould spa"n hi!h- ech (en ures in he pri(a e sec or and allo" he coun r% o cli'b he echnolo!% ladder. In 1993 he un(eiled he firs Indonesian-de(eloped plane, "hich he helped desi!n, and in he follo"in! %ear he launched a plan o refurbish 'ore han hree do8en (essels bou!h fro' he for'er 6as 0er'an na(% a his ini ia i(e. *he 9inance :inis r% bal2ed a he cos of he la er endea(our, "hile he ar'ed forces hou!h ha i s urf had been (iola ed. +e(er heless, Habibie !o 'ore han ;4)) 'illion for refurbishin!. :ean"hile, in 199) Habibie "as appoin ed head of he Indonesian :usli' In ellec uals /ssocia ion, and durin! he 1993 cen ral-board elec ions of he coun r%&s rulin! par %, 0ol2ar, Habibie helped he children and allies of Presiden 1uhar o rise o op posi ions, easin! ou lon!-s andin! 'ili ar%-bac2ed po"er bro2ers. B% he la e 199)s Habibie "as (ie"ed as one of se(eral possible successors o he a!in! 1uhar o. In :arch 199# 1uhar o appoin ed Habibie o he (ice presidenc%, and "o 'on hs la er, in he "a2e of lar!e-scale (iolence in Ja2ar a, 1uhar o announced his resi!na ion. *hrus une<pec edl% in o he coun r%&s op posi ion, Habibie i''edia el% be!an o i'ple'en 'a=or refor's. He appoin ed a ne" cabine > fired 1uhar o&s eldes dau!h er as social affairs 'inis er as "ell as his lon!i'e friend as rade and indus r% 'inis er> na'ed a co''i ee o draf less-res ric i(e poli ical la"s> allo"ed a free press> arran!ed for free parlia'en ar% and presiden ial elec ions he follo"in! %ear> and a!reed o presiden ial er' li'i s ( "o fi(e-%ear er's). He also !ran ed a'nes % o 'ore han 1)) poli ical prisoners.

In 1999 Habibie announced ha 6as *i'or, a for'er Por u!uese colon% ha had been in(aded b% Indonesia in 1935, could choose be "een special au ono'% and independence> he erri or% chose independence. Indonesia held free !eneral elec ions ( he firs since 1955) in June, as pro'ised. In ?c ober, Habibie ran for presiden bu los o /bdurrah'an .ahid. /f er .ahid oo2 office, Habibie essen iall% s epped ou of poli ics, al hou!h in 2))) he es ablished he Habibie @en er, a poli ical research ins i u e..