Rachmadi Bambang Sumadhijo (11 October 1940 – 4 December 2024) was an Indonesian engineer and bureaucrat who served as the minister of public works for 17 months in 1998 and 1999.
Rachmadi Bambang Sumadhijo | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Public Works | |
| In office 14 March 1998 – 20 October 1999 | |
| President | Suharto B. J. Habibie |
| Preceded by | Radinal Mochtar |
| Succeeded by | Rozik Boedioro Soetjipto |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 October 1940 Surakarta, Dutch East Indies |
| Died | 4 December 2024 (aged 84) South Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia |
| Alma mater | Bandung Institute of Technology |
Born in Surakarta, Sumadhijo began his career as a public works department employee shortly after graduating from college. His career rose quickly from a project chief to director general of city planning and construction. As director general, he oversaw grants and water management in his capacity and director general and struck a controversial deal with President Suharto's daughter. Suharto then appointed him as public works minister in his last cabinet. He resigned from the position two months later and was reappointed by Suharto's successor, B. J. Habibie.
Early life and education
editSumadhijo was born in Surakarta on 11 October 1940. His father worked as an employee at the Madiun's Information Service. Upon completing high school, he began studying civil engineering at the Bandung Institute of Technology in 1959.[1] He graduated from the institute in 1964.[2] Throughout his career in the Department of Public Works, Sumadhijo attended various courses, such as a course of project management in Washington in 1977 and a course at the National Resilience Institute in 1990.[3]
Career
editSumadhijo began his career as a road construction staff at the Department of Public Works on 1 May 1964. His career in the department gradually rose. He was appointed as the chief of transit in the Kalimantan Road Project in 1967 and the chief of bridge construction works in Riau in 1967. By 1976, he was responsible for all engineering projects in the Directorate General of Road Construction.[4]
Sumadhijo was posted in Jakarta in 1977 with his appointment as the chief of planning in the Directorate General of Road Construction. His office was elevated a year later, making him responsible directly to the director general of road construction. He was later appointed to various directorships in the Directorate General of Road Construction, namely as the director of road construction (1983–1984), director of central planning (1984–1985), and director of program supervision (1985–1989). He was then promoted as expert staff for human resources to public works minister Radinal Mochtar.[4]
Director general for city planning and construction
editThree years later, in 1991 Radinal appointed Sumadhijo as the director general for city planning and construction,[4] responsible for city planning and development, housing, and drinking water supply.[2] In his position, Sumadhijo handled the grants from other countries for city construction and the gradual handover of clean water management to regional government[5] in East Java[6] and in Buleleng.[7] He also signed a controversial contract with the Citra Group, a group of companies owned by President Suharto's daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana,[2] which resulted in the investment of 290 million rupiahs to a water distribution project in West Jakarta[8] and 300 million for a similar project in the eastern part of Jakarta.[9] The directorate general also attempted to reduce the leak of mineral water distribution, with Sumadhijo urging local water companies under the regional governments not to burden water company users with rising costs.[10]
Aside from water management, in 1997 the directorate general under Sumadhijo also supervised a pilot project to build simple rental apartments (rusun) for low-income communities. The project involves constructing a 10-story building in Pasar Jumat, South Jakarta.[11]
Minister of Public Works
editOn 8 March 1998, Sumadhijo received a call from President Suharto regarding his appointment as Minister of Public Works.[1] His name was publicly announced six days later as part of the Seventh Development Cabinet,[12] in what would become Suharto's last cabinet. Bambang announced that he would focus on addressing the then-ongoing economic crisis by creating job opportunities in the construction sector and prioritizing the maintenance and rehabilitation of essential infrastructure.[1] In an interview with Solo Pos, Sumadhijo stated that the department would support the government's goal of increasing agricultural produce and the distribution of clothes through irrigation and roads, as well as increasing the amount of manpower involved in projects while maintaining quality.[13]
In April 1998, Sumadhijo was instructed by President Suharto to construct a double-track railway in Java's North Coast Road from Jakarta to Surabaya-Banyuwangi. The project was delayed due to the unfavorable economic situation at that time.[14]
On 20 May 1998, Sumadhijo, along with thirteen other ministers collectively refused to join the new Reform Cabinet, effectively resigning. This mass rejection was initiated by Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance, and Industry, Ginandjar Kartasasmita, and took place at the Bappenas building, where they signed a declaration known as the "Bappenas Declaration." The Suharto regime fell the next day and vice president B. J. Habibie assumed the presidency.[15] Bambang was later re-appointed for the same position in Habibie's Development Reform Cabinet.[16]
Personal life and death
editSumadhijo was married to Rukminiadi, a physician. They had three children.[3]
Sumadhijo died at the Pondok Indah Hospital in Jakarta, on 4 December 2024, at the age of 84. His funeral was held at Tanah Kusir Public Cemetery in Jakarta, led by the current minister of public works, Dody Hanggodo.[17]
Awards
edit
Role Model Medal (Indonesian: Satyalancana Wirakarya) (17 August 1994)[18]
Star of Service, 1st Class (Indonesian: Bintang Jasa Utama) (17 August 1995)[19]
Star of Mahaputera, 2nd Class (Indonesian: Bintang Mahaputera Adipradana) (13 August 1999)[20]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Yang Berterimakasih dan Bersimpuh". Kompas. 15 March 1998. Archived from the original on 5 February 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ a b c Malley, Michael (April 1998). "The 7th Development Cabinet: Loyal to a Fault?" (PDF). Indonesia. 65 (65): 168. doi:10.2307/3351408. hdl:1813/54137. JSTOR 3351408. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
- ^ a b Kabinet Reformasi Pembangunan Republik Indonesia 1998–1999. Government of Indonesia. 1999. p. 235.
- ^ a b c Menuju Indonesia baru (in Indonesian). PII. 1999. p. 202.
- ^ Siregar, P. Raja (2004). Politik air: penguasaan asing melalui utang (in Indonesian). WALHI dan KAU. p. 16.
- ^ "4 BPAM Di Jatim Alih Status Jadi PDAM". Berita Yudha. 8 May 1992.
- ^ "Buleleng harus Sanggup Kembangkan Sumber Daya Alam". Bali Post. 20 August 1991.
- ^ ""Citra Group" akan Menggarap Proyek Air Bersih Jakarta Barat". Harian Ekonomi Neraca. 25 September 1993.
- ^ "Kapasitas PDAM Jakarta pada 1995 Mubazir". Harian Ekonomi Neraca. 11 December 1993.
- ^ "Kenaikan Biaya PDAM Jangan Bebankan Pada Konsumen". Berita Yudha. 2 November 1994.
- ^ "PU Bangun Rusun Sederhana". Berita Yudha. 22 October 1997.
- ^ "Presiden Umumkan Kabinet: Seluruh Rakyat Dambakan, Krisis Segera Diatasi". Kompas. 15 March 1998. Archived from the original on 7 June 2000. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ Lubis, M. Syahran (27 March 1998). "Dialog Espos dengan Menteri PU Ir Rachmadi Bambang Sumadhijo: "Padat Karya jadi prioritas terdepan"". Solopos.
- ^ "Proyek tol Pantura Jawa ikuti rel ganda: Pelaksanaannya tunggu ekonomi pulih". Solopos. 17 April 1998.
- ^ Ahsan, Ivan Aulia (20 May 2018). "20 Mei 1998: 14 Menteri Tolak Gabung Kabinet Reformasi". tirto.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ "Separoh Kabinet Reformasi Pembangunan Wajah Baru". Parlementaria. No. 23. 1998. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
- ^ "Menteri PU Era Habibie Meninggal Dunia, Dody Hanggodo Turut Berduka". CNN Indonesia. 4 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ "Semen Pozolan Tidak Akan Mampu Bersaing". Berita Yudha. 18 August 1994.
- ^ "581 Pejabat/Pegawai Departemen PU Terima Penghargaan". Berita Yudha. 18 August 1995.
- ^ "Daftar WNI yang Mendapat Tanda Kehormatan Bintang Mahaputera tahun 1959 s.d. 2003" (PDF). Sekretariat Negara Republik Indonesia. Retrieved 20 January 2021.