Sudharmono

Sudharmono was an Indonesian politician and army officer, who served as the 5th Vice President of Indonesia, under the New Order regime of president Suharto, serving from 1988 until 1993. He was born in Gresik, East Java, to a family of mixed Sumatran descent. He studied law at Sriwijaya University and joined the Indonesian National Student Movement. He married his high school friend, Emma Norma, in 1951 and had three children. He left the army after being named Cabinet Secretary by Suharto in 1968. In 1970, he became the State Secretary, a position which allowed him to assist Suharto in the day-to-day running of the Government. In 1983, he was elected as the Chairman of Golkar, the ruling party. In 1988, he was elected as the Vice President of Indonesia, the highest position in the executive branch. He supported Suharto's policies and reforms, and advocated for democracy, human rights, and national unity. He also promoted the four pillars of the nation, namely Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution, the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, and Unity in Diversity. He died in 2006 in Singapore, after suffering a heart attack. He was buried at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in Jakarta with full state honors. He was widely respected and mourned by the Indonesian people and received tributes from many national and international leaders. He was also the subject of several books and documentaries that chronicled his life and achievements.