Maraden Panggabean dies at 78

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)