"I hope there will be geniuses like Habibie among our children
Manokwari, West Papua (ANTARA) - West Papua Governor Dominggus Mandacan has encouraged Papuan children to emulate the excellence, visionary thoughts, and virtues of B.J. Habibie who passed away Wednesday, saying that Indonesia's third president was a really inspiring figure. The passing of Habibie made the nation feel lost but what he had achieved for Indonesia was a really good legacy for the country's generations, Mandacan said here Thursday when commenting on the passing of the former vice president during the Soeharto era.

While expressing his deep condolences at Habibie's passing, Mandacan appealed to the Papuan children and members of the younger generation in West Papua Province to emulate Habibie by pursuing big dreams of becoming smart, well-educated, and excellent technocrats like him.

West Papua Province does need excellent human resources to support its development, he said, adding that he never met Habibie personally but knew a lot about him from reading books and media reports.

Habibie was a really inspiring figure, and all Papuan children need to be inspired. "I hope there will be geniuses like Habibie among our children," he said.

Like young Habibie who studied abroad but served the nation with his excellent skills and thoughts when he returned to Indonesia, Mandacan also urged the people of West Papua currently studying abroad to return and develop their homeland.

The 83-year-old former president passed away at 6.05 p.m. Wednesday at the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital (RSPAD) where he was being treated by the best doctors, including those from the Presidential Doctors Team, since September 1.

Along the way from the mourning house in Patra Kuningan to the National Heroes' Cemetery in Kalibata, South Jakarta, numerous people stood on the road shoulders to pay their last respects to Habibie.

The former president was buried at the heroes' cemetery with fully military honors.
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EDITED BY INE

Translator: Toyiban, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
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