"He passed away this morning at 2 a.m. at Jakarta's Medistra Hospital," Said Didu, former secretary of the SoE Ministry, confirmed to ANTARA here.
The late minister will be interred at the Tanri Abeng University complex in South Jakarta on Sunday afternoon, according to the written announcement at his home.
As of 10 a.m. local time, some national figures, including former vice president Jusuf Kalla, People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Deputy Speaker Fadel Muhammad, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, and former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief AM Hendropriyono, have visited the mourning house to pay their last respect to Abeng, and express their condolences to his family and relatives.
Deputy Speaker Muhammad stated he remembered Abeng as a figure who prioritised education and was keen to improve state companies' ecosystem during his tenure in the cabinet.
"He developed education wherever he was. I noticed that he often told us to continue developing human resources," Muhammad said.
Hendropriyono also remembered Abeng had brilliant and advanced visions ahead of his time. He commended the late minister for his contribution to the national development.
"He was one of my best colleagues during our tenure in the cabinet," he added.
Moreover, State-owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir lauded his predecessor for playing a significant role in Indonesia's economic development.
"I express my condolences to the passing of the first SoE Minister, Mr Tanri Abeng, a figure of great merit for the nation," Thohir stated through his official Instagram on Sunday.
Tanri Abeng served as the first and only State Minister of State-owned Enterprises Utilisation under President Soeharto in March 1998. His first tenure lasted only two months, as the New Order regime collapsed in May 1998.
He was reappointed to the same position by President B.J. Habibie in May 1998 and served until October 1999.
After concluding his tenure in the cabinet, Abeng served as commissioner in several state companies, such as Telkom, Pertamina, and Bio Farma. Reflective to his commitment to education, the former minister established Tanri Abeng University in 2011.
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Translator: Ahmad Muzdaffar F, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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