Djarum Boss Michael Bambang Hartono to Be Buried in Central Java

Kudus, VIVA – The funeral of Michael Bambang Hartono, owner of the Djarum Group, who was reported to have passed away on Thursday at 13:15 Singapore time, is planned to take place in Central Java province. Purwono Nugroho, Senior Manager of Public Affairs at PT Djarum Kudus, confirmed the sad news in Kudus on Thursday. “Yes, it’s true, Mr Michael Bambang Hartono passed away in Singapore. The burial location is still being discussed,” he said. The extended family of the late figure originates from Rembang Regency, although he was known to reside more frequently in Jakarta in recent times. The family home in Rembang Regency still exists, though his closest relatives are scattered in various locations. The family is still deliberating whether the lying-in-state will be in Rembang or elsewhere. He added that the internal family meeting is also addressing the schedule for the lying-in-state of the deceased. Meanwhile, the body of the late figure, who passed away in Singapore, is estimated to still be in the process of being repatriated to Indonesia. The late Mr Hartono was known as one of Indonesia’s leading business figures. Together with his brother Robert Budi Hartono, he managed and developed the major cigarette company PT Djarum into one of the nation’s industrial giants. Michael Bambang Hartono was born on 2 October 1939, the son of Oei Wie Gwan, the founder of Djarum. Under his leadership, the family business continued to grow rapidly and expanded its influence across various sectors. Beyond the business world, he was also known for his active involvement in social activities through the Djarum Foundation, which operates in the fields of environment, culture, education, and sports. His contributions to the environment include the trembesi tree planting programme along the Java North Coast route. In sports, his involvement is evident from the development of world-class badminton athletes to the nurturing of other sports such as women’s football, archery, and athletics from an early age. In the arts, the Djarum Foundation also initiated student theatre festivals, making theatre arts familiar to students at various levels. In education, he made significant contributions through the “Bakti Pendidikan” pillar, focusing on improving the quality of vocational secondary schools, providing scholarships (Djarum Beasiswa Plus), and enhancing teacher competencies in basic education. This includes programmes for school infrastructure improvements, soft skills training for university students, and industry curriculum development.