Irman aims to strengthen DPD
Irman aims to strengthen DPD
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Becoming a politician was not his childhood dream.
As the son of a successful businessman, his entrepreneurship
skills were stronger than his ambition to go into other
professions.
Now 42-years-old, Irman Gusman is the deputy speaker of the
Regional Representatives Council (DPD), a new legislative body
designed to be somewhat similar to the Senate in the United
States. The job deals more with day-to-day political activities.
"It flows like water. I just follow where it goes. My concern
is how to do good things for the people," he said in a recent
interview.
He explained that he became interested in politics after
realizing that the economic state and standard of living of the
Indonesian people were worse than in other countries.
"It is my personal ambition to get involved in the decision-
making process. We have to make changes," he added.
After finishing his business education in the United States,
Irman had the opportunity to travel around that country and some
other countries in Europe.
Like a religious trip that enlightens, his visits to the
developed countries made him acutely aware that his homeland,
Indonesia, was far behind those countries. This has driven him to
get involved in the decision-making process via politics.
As a deputy speaker of the DPD, Irman pledged he would fight
for the sake of people's welfare and just development.
Unlike other politicians who entered politics simply to make
money, Irman moved to politics more as a form of self-
actualization. He comes from a family that has been successful in
business and is familiar with mass organizations.
His father is a successful businessman and a leading figure in
the Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, in West Sumatra. Irman
added that his grandfather was also a businessman and a religious
leader. "I hope I can follow in the footsteps of both," he said.
His name rose to national prominence in 1999 when he was
elected a representative in the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) to represent West Sumatra.
He once dreamed of becoming a businessman and continuing in
the family business, like most other West Sumatra families.
Irman was born on Feb. 11, 1962, in Padang Panjang, West
Sumatra, to Gusman Gaus and Janimar Kamili.
His father Gusman, was an executive of the provincial chapter
of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Trade (KADIN) and is a
former chancellor of Muhammadiyah University in West Sumatra, and
deputy chairman of the Association of Indonesian Muslim
Intellectuals (ICMI) in the province.
His grandfather, H. Kamili, was a noted businessman and Muslim
activist in the 1950s.
When Irman moved to Jakarta to study at the Indonesia
Christian University (UKI), he wanted to become a civil servant.
Former Bank Indonesia (BI) governor Syahril Sabirin was one of
his lecturers.
A local proverb says "Karantau madang dihulu, babuah babungo
balun. Karantau bujang dahulu, dirumah baguno balun" (through
traveling, anyone can become enlightened and gain the maturity to
survive in life).
After obtaining his masters from the Graduate School of
Business at the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S., in
1988, he returned home to run the business.
His business positions have included commissioner at PT Padang
Industrial Park, PT Khage Lestari Timber, PT Sumatera Korea Motor
and PT Abdi Bangsa (2000-2002). He is also director of PT
Prinavin Prakarsa and general manager of the Mimbar Minang daily.
He also joined various organizations, including Muhammadiyah,
ICMI, the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) and local
organizations in West Sumatra.
Following the reform movement that led to the downfall of
president Soeharto, however, he entered the national political
stage by accident.
He was nominated by the Indonesian Military (TNI)/Police
Faction as a representative from West Sumatra province at the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) for the period 1999 to 2004.
Having gained new status and position, Irman participated in
the process of amending the Constitution, including the adoption
of a bicameral system that led to the establishment of the DPD.
He promised to bring back the dignity and prosperity of the
regions.
Irman emphasized that he would fully focus on the effort to
bring prosperity to the regions via the DPD. "If I only had
short-term interests in mind, I could have taken a ministerial
post in the Cabinet because I am part of the inner circle of SBY-
JK," he said, referring to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf
Kalla.
Instead of seeking a ministerial post, however, Irman said
that he would participate in the attempt to establish a tradition
in the DPD to articulate the aspirations of the regional areas.
The DPD is expected to help promote more development in the
regions.
He is married to Liestyana Rizal and they have three children:
Irviandari Alestya, Irviandra Fathan and Irvianjani Audria.