Remembering Rachmat Gobel, Who Has Passed Away

House of Representatives (DPR) member Rachmat Gobel has passed away. Relatives remembered the figure of Rachmat Gobel while paying their respects at the funeral home. “My condolences. Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. H Rachmat Gobel has returned to the mercy of God on Friday, 10 July 2026, at 03.20 WIB, in Jakarta,” said NasDem Party Central Executive Board Chairman Willy Aditya on Friday (10/7/2026). Rachmat Gobel was born in Gorontalo on 3 September 1962. Besides being a politician, the deceased was also known as a businessman. Rachmat Gobel served as Minister of Trade under President Joko Widodo’s administration from 2014 to 2015. He was currently a member of the DPR from the NasDem Party. Rachmat Gobel was the fifth child of Drs H Thayeb Mohammad Gobel and Annie Nento Gobel. “From childhood, he was educated to become the heir and leader of the Gobel Group of Companies, which was founded and led by his parents. He held various positions in the company, from factory sweeper while still in junior high school to managerial positions,” the NasDem website stated. Rachmat Gobel earned a bachelor’s degree in International Trade from Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan, at the age of 24. After graduating, he undertook practical work at the Matsushita Group near Osaka, Japan. In 1989, Rachmat returned to Jakarta to join the Gobel Group of Companies. He became Assistant to the President Director at PT National Gobel, now known as PT Panasonic Manufacturing Indonesia. Former President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) remembered Rachmat Gobel as a good minister and a hard worker. Chairman of the NasDem Party, Surya Paloh, expressed his sense of loss for a friend, noting that his passing was sudden. He described Gobel as a sociable person with many connections at home and abroad, who was often tasked with maintaining good relations between Indonesia and Japan. CT Corp Chairman Chairul Tanjung recalled his last meeting with Gobel a few weeks prior, remembering a tight embrace. He noted they were entrepreneurs of the same generation and had a very good relationship. DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung remembered Gobel as a friendly and caring figure who acted as a unifying force in the political world, particularly highlighting his role in strengthening Indonesia-Japan relations. Former Vice President Jusuf Kalla remembered Gobel as a punctual and knowledgeable person. Deputy Speaker of the DPR, Saan Mustopa, said the DPR had lost a highly dedicated figure.