The Legacy of Alex Noerdin in Sriwijaya Land, South Sumatra

Former South Sumatra Governor (2008-2018) Alex Noerdin passed away on Wednesday, 25 February, at midday at Siloam Semanggi Hospital in Jakarta, aged 75 years.

The senior Golkar politician drew his last breath at approximately 13:30 Western Indonesian Time after intensive care due to bile duct infection accompanied by pancreatic duct obstruction.

Family spokesperson Alex Noerdin, Okta Alfarisi, confirmed the news of his passing. “To God we belong and to Him we return. Our beloved husband, father, father-in-law and grandfather, H. Alex Noerdin bin H. Noerdin Pandji, has passed into God’s mercy,” said Okta via Instagram.

Okta stated that the family is currently arranging the return of the body to Palembang. “The body is currently in the process of being returned to Palembang. Funeral home at Merdeka petrol station,” he said.

Political and governmental career

Alex Noerdin was born in Palembang on 9 September 1950, as the third of seven children from the marriage of H Muhammad Noerdin Pandji and Hj Siti Fatimah.

According to various sources, he studied for his degree at Trisakti University in 1980 and at Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia in 1981, and participated in various international training programmes such as the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) in Nagoya in 1985 and Harvard University’s Program on Housing and Urbanization in 1992.

Alex began his bureaucratic career as a civil servant at the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) of South Sumatra and served as Head of the Palembang City Tourism Office.

He then entered politics by joining a political party and contesting the regional election, being elected Regent of Musi Banyuasin (Muba) in 2002.

During his second term as Regent (2007-2012), he became more widely known, subsequently contesting the South Sumatra gubernatorial election in 2008.

On 14 June 2008, during his second term as Muba Regent, he resigned in connection with his candidacy for South Sumatra Governor.

He then won and served as South Sumatra Governor for two terms (2008-2013) and (2013-2018).

After being elected in the 2013 regional election, Alex Noerdin, partnered with Ishak Mekki, developed sports infrastructure as Palembang hosted the 2011 SEA Games and the 2018 Asian Games.

During his tenure, Alex was active in organisations such as Chair of the Golkar Party Regional Leadership Council for South Sumatra (2004-2009) and various positions in national sports organisations.

He also ran as a candidate for Governor of Jakarta in 2012 partnered with Nono Sampono, but lost.

After serving as Governor, he was elected as a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives (2019-2024).

Corruption case

In the final phase of his life, Alex Noerdin was ensnared in a corruption case.

Previously, the South Sumatra Attorney General’s Office named four suspects in the alleged corruption case regarding the revitalisation of Pasar Cinde in Palembang. One of the four suspects was Alex Noerdin, who had been undergoing investigation since 2023.

He subsequently underwent trial as a defendant at Palembang District Court. According to detikSumbagsel, at the beginning of this week, defendant Alex was supposed to appear at a hearing as a witness in the Pasar Cinde case at Palembang District Court on Monday, 23 February.

However, he was unable to attend due to illness and had been taken to Siloam Hospital in Palembang before being referred to Jakarta.

At the hearing, Alex’s lawyer, Titis Rachmawati, informed the panel of judges that his client was currently in critical condition.

According to Titis, Alex Noerdin had been hospitalised since Friday, 20 February, in the afternoon due to the seriousness of his illness.

Upon hearing this, the panel of judges at the Palembang District Court’s Anti-Corruption Court presided over by Fauzi Isra stated that the hearing for the alleged corruption case regarding the revitalisation of Pasar Cinde would be postponed for a further two weeks.

Burial in Palembang

According to detikSumbagsel, Alex Noerdin’s body was still being laid out at his son’s house, Dodi Reza Alex, in Jakarta today.

Thereafter, the body will be flown to Palembang tomorrow to the funeral home, then buried at Kebun Bunga Public Cemetery (TPU) in Palembang.

“Tomorrow morning the body will be flown to Palembang. Upon arrival in Palembang, it will be taken to the funeral home on Jalan Merdeka, Bukit Kecil District,” said Okta.

After being laid out briefly at the funeral home, the body will be buried after the Zuhr prayer at Kebun Bunga cemetery, which is the family’s burial location.

“It is planned that the deceased will be buried in the family grave at Kebun Bunga cemetery in Palembang,” he explained.