Rizal Ramli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rizal Ramli
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| 4th Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs | |
| In office 12 August 2015 – 27 July 2016 |
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| President | Joko Widodo |
| Preceded by | Indroyono Soesilo |
| Succeeded by | Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan |
| 29th Minister of Finance | |
| In office 12 June 2001 – 9 August 2001 |
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| President | Abdurrahman Wahid |
| Preceded by | Prijadi Praptosuhardjo |
| Succeeded by | Boediono |
| 8th Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs | |
| In office 23 August 2000 – 12 June 2001 |
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| President | Abdurrahman Wahid |
| Preceded by | Kwik Kian Gie |
| Succeeded by | Burhanuddin Abdullah |
| 6th Chairman of Bulog | |
| In office March 2000 – 19 February 2001 |
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| President | Abdurrahman Wahid |
| Preceded by | Jusuf Kalla |
| Succeeded by | Widjanarko Puspoyo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 December 1954 Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia |
| Died | 2 January 2024 (aged 69) Jakarta, Indonesia |
| Spouses |
Herawati Moelyono
(m. 1982; died 2006)Marijani (Liu Siaw Fung)
(m. 2008; died 2011) |
| Children | Dhitta Puti Saraswati
Dipo Satria Daisy Orlana Ramli |
| Alma mater | Bandung Institute of Technology (Ir.) Sophia University (M.A.) Boston University (Ph.D.) |
Rizal Ramli (born December 10, 1954 – died January 2, 2024) was an important figure in Indonesia. He was a politician, an economist, and a student leader. He worked for two different Indonesian presidents.
Under President Joko Widodo, he was the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs. This job involved managing things related to Indonesia's oceans. He also worked for President Abdurrahman Wahid. For President Wahid, he led the Indonesian Bureau of Logistics (Bulog). He was also the Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance, and Industry. Later, he became the Minister of Finance.
Rizal Ramli was also involved on the world stage. He advised the United Nations on economic matters. He was even considered for a top role at the UN's Economic & Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP). However, he chose to focus on serving Indonesia instead.
He was known for speaking his mind. He often gave strong opinions if he felt something was not good for Indonesia. This earned him the nickname "Rajawali Ngepret," meaning "Smashing Eagle."
Contents
Early Life & Education
Growing Up in Indonesia
Rizal Ramli was born in Padang, West Sumatra. His parents were also from Padang. When he was only seven years old, his parents passed away. He then moved to Bogor, West Java, to live with his grandmother.
His father, Ramli, was a local government officer. His mother, Rabiah, was a teacher. Rizal learned to read very early, at just three years old. He always thanked his mother for teaching him.
School Days & Student Leadership
Rizal finished high school in Bogor. He then got into the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). He chose to study Engineering Physics there. To pay for his studies, he worked at a printing press. He also used his English skills to work as a translator.
At ITB, he became the President of the Student English Forum. Later, he was the Vice President of the Student Council.
Activism for Change
As a student leader, Rizal Ramli was very active. In 1977, he helped write a book called the "White Book." This book strongly criticized the government at that time. It talked about problems like corruption and unfair practices.
The "White Book" was banned on campus. But copies were still shared widely across Java. It even got attention from the media. An American scholar, Benedict Anderson, translated it into eight languages. Because of his activism, Rizal Ramli was put in jail for six months in 1978.
Higher Education Abroad
After his time in Indonesia, Rizal continued his studies. He earned a Master's degree in Asian Studies from Sophia University in Japan. Then, in 1990, he received his Ph.D. in economics from Boston University in the United States.
Professional Career & Economic Insights
Founding ECONIT Advisory Group
After finishing his doctorate, Rizal Ramli returned to Indonesia. He started a group called ECONIT Advisory Group. This was a special group of economists who gave independent advice. They often spoke out against government economic plans. They focused on policies that they felt did not help the public.
Predicting Economic Challenges
Through ECONIT, Rizal Ramli and his team made an important prediction. They published a report titled "1997: The Year of Uncertainty." This report correctly predicted the 1997 Asian financial crisis. They based their forecast on three key issues. These were private company debt, trade imbalances, and an overvalued currency.
Political Career & Key Policies
Leading Bulog
In March 2000, President Abdurrahman Wahid appointed Rizal Ramli to lead Bulog. Bulog is Indonesia's state logistics agency. He led Bulog for about 15 months. During this short time, he made big changes.
- He made Bulog's finances more open and clear.
- He saved a lot of money, which led to a surplus for Bulog.
- He simplified Bulog's many accounts into just a few.
- He prepared Bulog to become a more modern public company.
- He rotated officials to prevent corruption.
He also changed how Bulog bought rice. He focused on buying rice grains directly from farmers. This helped farmers get a fair price. It also reduced the power of middlemen. This policy helped keep rice prices stable and low. During his time, Bulog even stopped importing rice.
Coordinating Economic Minister
On August 23, 2000, Rizal Ramli became the Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance, and Industry. He announced a 10-point plan to help Indonesia's economy recover.
- This plan aimed to make the financial sector stable.
- It sought to improve life in rural areas.
- It encouraged the growth of small and medium businesses.
- It focused on helping farmers produce more.
- It prioritized investments over loans for recovery.
- It aimed to increase exports.
- It promoted smart privatization of state companies.
- It supported economic decentralization.
- It focused on using natural resources wisely.
- It aimed to speed up banking sector reforms.
He also pushed for big changes in the telecommunications sector. He helped remove rules that limited competition between Telkom Indonesia and Indosat. This helped both companies grow. He also helped save the State Electricity Company (Perusahaan Listrik Negara) from bankruptcy. He did this by re-evaluating its assets, turning a huge debt into a surplus.
Serving as Finance Minister
On June 12, 2001, President Wahid appointed Rizal Ramli as Minister of Finance. He served briefly in this role. He stayed until August 9, 2001, during a change in presidential leadership.
Overseeing State-Owned Companies
Rizal Ramli also served as President Commissioner for several state-owned companies. These included Semen Indonesia Group and Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI). Even in these roles, he continued to speak out. He criticized government policies he disagreed with.
In 2007, he helped PT. Semen Gresik become very profitable. He increased its net profit significantly. He resigned from BNI in 2015 when he became Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs
On August 12, 2015, Rizal Ramli was appointed Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs. He admitted he was unsure at first. His main expertise was in economics, not maritime affairs.
Soon after, he suggested changing his ministry's name. He wanted it to be the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Resources. He also proposed adding two more ministries under its coordination.
International Contributions
Rizal Ramli had a strong international network. He was one of the few Indonesian economists chosen to advise the United Nations. He worked alongside famous economists. These included Nobel Prize winners like Amartya Sen.
In 2012, at a UN meeting, Rizal Ramli presented several papers. These papers discussed Indonesia's economy and democracy. They also covered Indonesia's role in Asia. These meetings included UN experts and global specialists.
Death
Rizal Ramli passed away on January 2, 2024. He was 69 years old. He died at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Central Jakarta. His death was confirmed by his staff.
Images for kids
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Rizal Ramli as Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs.
