Try Sutrisno, Military Engineer Who Became Presidential Aide and Later Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia

Try Sutrisno, Indonesia’s sixth Vice President, passed away on Monday, 2 March 2026, at the age of 90 at Gatot Subroto Army Central Hospital in Central Jakarta. His death marked the end of a long military career that progressed through circles of power, beginning as Presidential Aide and advancing to Commander of the Armed Forces, ultimately reaching the pinnacle as Indonesia’s sixth Vice President during the New Order era.

Try Sutrisno began his military career in 1960 with the Engineering Corps, tasked with reconstructing and demolishing military infrastructure in combat zones. He was initially posted to Palembang before being transferred to Jakarta, Bandung, and East Java. This field service continued until 1974, when he was appointed as Presidential Aide to President Suharto. In his autobiography “Pak Harto: The Untold Stories” (2011), Try Sutrisno revealed that he never anticipated becoming presidential aide, having spent a long career in the field. However, this unexpected appointment proved fortuitous. During four years of service, the position of presidential aide served as a stepping stone, and his continuous proximity to the president elevated his public profile.

Subsequently, as noted in his memoir “5 Tahun Masa Bakti Bapak Try Sutrisno” (1998), Try was entrusted by ABRI leadership with the position of Chief of Staff of Kodam Udayana. He was then transferred and promoted to the rank of general when appointed Commander of Kodam Sriwijaya in 1979. Three years later, he assumed command of Kodam Jakarta Raya. His ascent through the senior ranks of ABRI continued with appointments as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army and subsequently as Chief of Staff of the Army (KSAD).

According to political observer Salim Said in “Dari Gestapu ke Reformasi: Serangkaian Kesaksian” (2013), Suharto’s decision to appoint Try as the top Army official demonstrated his trust in Try, despite questions about his background from the Engineering Corps. By making Try KSAD, Suharto gained the support and loyalty of the Army.

However, KSAD was not the pinnacle of this 1935-born officer’s military career. In 1988, Suharto appointed him as Commander of the Armed Forces. Upon taking the new position, rumours circulated that he would become Vice President. However, these rumours proved unfounded, as Suharto selected Sudharmono instead in 1988. It was not until 1993 that Try Sutrisno was appointed as Indonesia’s sixth Vice President, defeating popular rival Research Minister B.J. Habibie, who was close to Islamic circles. According to Salim Said, Suharto’s decision to make Try Vice President was based on their long-standing personal relationship. Suharto regarded Try as highly loyal, having known him since his days as presidential aide. Additionally, Try lived modestly and had no burdensome past. Furthermore, according to historian M.C. Ricklefs in his book “Sejarah Indonesia Modern” (2004), Try Sutrisno’s appointment was also driven by Suharto’s inner circle, who viewed him as a potential successor should Suharto pass away. At that time, Suharto’s age was considered advanced, while Try was seen as possessing the capacity and legitimacy to maintain continuity in national leadership. During his tenure as Vice President, Try oversaw national development supervision. He held this position until 1998, when he was succeeded by B.J. Habibie.