Lieutenant General (Ret.) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin (born 30 October 1952) is an Indonesian military officer and politician serving as the 27th minister of defense since 2024.[1] From 2010 to 2014, he served as deputy minister of defense.[2] He once was Suharto's bodyguard and one of his most loyal confidant until his downfall and also an old friend of Indonesia's current president Prabowo Subianto, who was his classmate at a military academy.[3]
Lieutenant General (Ret.) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2024 | |
| 27th Minister of Defense | |
| Assumed office 21 October 2024 | |
| President | Prabowo Subianto |
| Deputy | Donny Ermawan Taufanto |
| Preceded by | Prabowo Subianto |
| 7th Deputy Minister of Defense | |
| In office 6 January 2010 – 20 October 2014 | |
| President | Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono |
| Minister | Purnomo Yusgiantoro |
| Preceded by | Moersjid (1966) |
| Succeeded by | Sakti Wahyu Trenggono |
| Commander of Kodam Jaya | |
| In office 1997–1998 | |
| President | Suharto |
| Preceded by | Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso |
| Succeeded by | Maj. Gen. Djaja Suparman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 October 1952 Makassar, Indonesia |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Etty Sudiyati |
| Alma mater |
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| Occupation |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Indonesia |
| Branch/service | Indonesian Army |
| Years of service | 1974–2010 |
| Rank | Lieutenant general |
| Unit | Kopassus |
| Commands | Kodam Jayakarta |
| Battles/wars | |
Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin served in the Indonesian military and was a member of the Kopassus unit. He was accused of human rights abuses throughout his military career. He participated in the Indonesian invasion of East Timor and was later reported to be present at the Santa Cruz massacre in 1991, and the 1999 East Timorese crisis. He was also accused of involvement over the 1997–98 activists kidnappings in Indonesia and the May 1998 riots in Jakarta, where he was the city's military commander at the time. He was cleared by Indonesian authorities over the riots and was not formally charged in East Timor or the kidnappings, although he was dismissed from the military over the latter issue. In 2009, he was denied a visa by the United States when he was an adviser to then-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.[3]
References
edit- ^ "Prabowo reveals names of ministers in "Red and White Cabinet"". Antara. 20 October 2024.
- ^ "Profil Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin: Ajudan Soeharto Kini Menteri Pertahanan" (in Indonesian). CNBC Indonesia. 21 October 2024.
- ^ a b "New Indonesia defence chief harks back to dictator's rule". France 24. 30 October 2024.
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