Maraden Panggabean dies at 78

JAKARTA (JP): Gen. (ret) Maraden Panggabean, former Armed Forces deputy chief and former coordinating minister for political affairs and security, died on Sunday after a stroke. He was 78.

Juan Felix Tampubolon, one of Panggabean's nephews, told The Jakarta Post that Panggabean died at 6:50 p.m. Western Indonesia Time at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital after undergoing four weeks of intensive treatment at the hospital after suffering a stroke.

Panggabean was rushed to the hospital after displaying symptoms of a stroke on April 29. He was then placed under the supervision of four doctors led by neurologist Teguh A. S. Ranakusuma.

His body will be laid out at his residence on Jl. Teuku Umar in Central Jakarta, Tampubolon said.

Tampubolon, also a lawyer for former president Soeharto, added that family and relatives of the late Panggabean had yet to determined the date of the funeral.

Panggabean, who was once awarded the Mahaputra medal of honor, is entitled to be buried at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in South Jakarta.

Panggabean, born on June 29, 1922, in Tarutung, North Sumatra, held several key positions during his career, including Army chief of staff in 1969, Armed Forces deputy chief (1969-1971), coordinating minister for political affairs and security (1978- 1983) and Supreme Advisory Council chairman (1983-1988).

He is survived by wife T. Boru Tambunan and four children.

Like the country's other military founders, Panggabean served in the military during the Japanese occupation. After independence, he served as a military trainer in Sibolga, North Sumatra, in 1945 and joined numerous military operations on Sumatra island.

His struck up a friendship with Soeharto when he was named chief of the Mandala II operation during Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation in 1966. Soeharto was then the Army chief/minister. (rms)