Rizal Ramli

Rizal Ramli (10 December 1954 – 2 January 2024) was an Indonesian politician, economist, and student activist. Ramli served as Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs under President Joko Widodo's Working Cabinet. He also served under President Abdurrahman Wahid's administration as Chair of the Indonesian Bureau of Logistics (Bulog), Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry also Minister of Finance in the National Unity Cabinet. On the international stage, Ramli was trusted to serve on the economic advisory panels of the UN. Ramli's name was also put forward as the Secretary-General of the Economic & Social Commission of Asia and Pacific (ESCAP), but in order to focus on serving Indonesia he refused the nomination. After a while out of the circle of power, in August 2015, Ramli was requested by President Joko Widodo to serve the country in charge of planning, coordinating as well as synchronizing policies in maritime affairs. Even in government, his critical attitude did not change. Rizal frequently threw scathing criticism (which he termed as kepret) towards something he deemed not in line with national interests, the source of the nickname "Rajawali Ngepret".