In memoriam LetJen (Purn.) Agus Widjojo (Engl.)

On the evening of February 8, 2026, Indonesia lost one of its finest generals, Agus Widjojo. Aged 78, he passed away at the Gatot Subroto Central Military Hospital (RSPAD) in Jakarta.
His most recent post was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia to the Republic of the Philippines, a position he had held since January 2022.
Prior to that, he served as Governor of the Lemhanas (National Resilience Institute) from April 15, 2016, to January 12, 2022. But Agus Widjojo was first and foremost a military man.
Born in Surakarta on June 8, 1947, he graduated from the Indonesian Military Academy in 1970 and left the military with the rank of Lieutenant General (three stars), having held distinguished positions within its ranks.
Agus indeed had a long military and international career. He notably served as an officer with the International Control and Supervision Commission in Vietnam in 1973 and as a member of the Indonesian contingent of the United Nations Emergency Force II (UNEF II) in the Sinai Peninsula, in the Middle East, in 1975. Before his retirement in 2003, Agus held several strategic positions: Commander of the General Staff and the Command School of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (Sesko TNI), Chief of the Territorial Staff to the Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and Vice-President of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) for the TNI/Polri faction (2001-2003). Alongside his military career, Agus also pursued higher education abroad, notably in the United States (1).
On April 18, 2016, he chaired the steering committee of the "1965 National Symposium" at the Aryaduta Hotel in central Jakarta. According to Agus, acknowledging and resolving the tragedy of 1965 was a crucial step in nation-building and state-building, restoring trust between the Indonesian people and their military. He was also a member of the Truth and Friendship Commission of the Republic of Indonesia and Timor-Leste, tasked with investigating allegations of human rights violations committed by Indonesia in East Timor.
Agus Widjojo can rightly be described as an intellectual military leader, given his significant influence on the reform process of the Indonesian military. Through his reflections and work, Agus actively contributed to the return of the army to its primary function (defense) and to the abandonment of the dual role (Dwifungsi), which had given the army a dominant position within the Indonesian Republic in social, political, and economic spheres since 1965, that is, since Suharto's rise to power. Agus Widjo was a renowned and respected intellectual.
He was a great servant of the Indonesian nation and state. An upright and devoted man, his passing is undoubtedly a great loss for the Republic of Indonesia.
I had the immense honor of knowing Agus Widjo. I first met him in Jakarta in 2006 in the Sarinah district, interviewing him while he was working at UKP3R (Presidential Task Force for Program Management and Reforms) (2), then on two other occasions: in 2018 when I was a guest of Lemhanas (3), of which he was then the Governor, and lastly in 2024, in a less formal setting, with his wife, at the Sari Delicatessen in the Sari Pacific Hotel; he was visiting Jakarta from Manila, where he was serving as Ambassador.
From our first meeting, one was struck by his intelligence and quick wit, reflected in his sharp, piercing gaze. His speech was clear, his remarks precise, and never affected. Very open and approachable, he was always smiling, full of energy, and consistently even-tempered. He possessed a powerful presence that transcended his reserve and simplicity. We will not forget him.
His passing will leave a great void in the Indonesian military and intellectual community. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, assuring them of our heartfelt sympathy.
Farewell, General, may God have mercy on him.
He rests in the Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery in South Jakarta.

Notes:
(1) He held a Master of Arts in Military Science from the U.S. Army Command and Staff College, a Master of Arts in National Security from the U.S. National Defense University, and a Master of Public Administration from George Washington University.
(2) From 2006 to 2009. This building currently houses the Election Monitoring Agency of the Republic of Indonesia.
(3) Jakarta Geopolitical Forum II 2018.