Gus Dur (Antara Photo)
Indonesia's former president Abdurrahman Wahid, better known as Gus Dur, died in Jakarta's Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital on Wednesday. He was 69 years old.
Hospital director Doctor Akmal Taher said Gus Dur died from complications of kidney and heart problems. The former president had been undergoing regular dialysis for some time. He was hospitalized last week after traveling in East Java.
"Gus Dur was in good condition. He had a tooth pulled out yesterday, he had returned to his room and he ate well. In the afternoon his condition went downhill. We moved him to intensive care but we couldn't save him," Dr. Akmal told Metro TV.
Gus Dur served as president from 1999-2001 during the turbulent years following the resignation of strongman Suharto in 1998.
“The one thing that I found him … it sounds like a cliche; I found him very human," said Dharmawan Ronodipuro, a palace spokesman under Gus Dur.
“On the one hand he could be brilliant, but on the other hand sometimes he could just be wacky. There were two sides. He’s a very complex person. It’s difficult to try to describe him.”
The former president remained influential at home and abroad. In late October he visited the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) office to lend his support to embattled deputies Bibid Samad Rianto and Chandra Hamzah. He was listed as one of the world's 500 most influential Muslim figures in a book published by Washington's Georgetown University last month.
Gus Dur was born on September 7, 1940 in Jombang, East Java. He became head of the Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama in 1984 and founded the National Awakening Party (PKB) in 1999 before running for president.
JG
Family members and friends carrying the body of former president Abdurrahman Wahid, popularly known as Gus Dur. He will be buried in his home town of Jombang, East Java. (JG Photo/Safir Makki)
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