In this biography
Quick facts
- Born
- 15 February 1940
- Died
- 24 July 2024
- Birthplace
- Ketapang, West Kalimantan
- Country
- Indonesia
- Nationality
- Indonesian
- Known for
- Leading the United Development Party and serving as Megawati Sukarnoputri’s vice president from 2001 to 2004
- National office
- Vice president, 2001–2004
- Political party
- PPP chair, 1998–2007
- Legislative career
- National legislator from 1971
- Presidential campaign
- Candidate in the 2004 election
Why this life matters
Hamzah Haz brought decades of Islamic-party parliamentary experience into the post-Suharto executive and helped provide coalition support during Megawati’s presidency.
Timeline
Key moments
Began teaching and journalism
Worked as a teacher and newspaper journalist while pursuing higher education.
Entered the national legislature
Started a long parliamentary career representing Islamic political organisations.
Became PPP chair and investment minister
Took leadership of the United Development Party and briefly joined B. J. Habibie’s cabinet.
Elected vice president
The People’s Consultative Assembly selected him after Megawati Sukarnoputri became president.
Ran for president
Contested Indonesia’s first direct presidential election with Agum Gumelar and was eliminated in the first round.
Died at the age of eighty-four
Died on 24 July and was buried at his family cemetery in Cisarua, Bogor Regency.
A West Kalimantan teacher and journalist
Hamzah Haz was born in Ketapang in 1940. He studied at the State Cooperative Academy in Yogyakarta and later completed economics studies at Tanjungpura University in Pontianak. His early work combined teaching with journalism, including leadership roles at newspapers in West Kalimantan.
Those experiences gave him a public profile outside Java and a base in Muslim civic and political networks. He entered the national legislature in 1971 through Nahdlatul Ulama’s political organisation, before the New Order fused Islamic parties into the United Development Party, or PPP, in 1973.
A long career in constrained parliamentary politics
Hamzah spent decades in the House of Representatives while Golkar dominated elections and the executive sharply limited opposition. Within those constraints, PPP functioned as the authorised Islamic political vehicle, and Hamzah developed expertise in budgets, economic policy and party organisation.
The fall of Suharto in 1998 changed the setting. Hamzah became PPP chair and served as state minister for investment under President B. J. Habibie. He later became a deputy speaker of the House and briefly coordinating minister for people’s welfare under President Abdurrahman Wahid.
Vice president after a constitutional crisis
When the People’s Consultative Assembly removed Wahid in July 2001, Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri became president. The Assembly then elected Hamzah as vice president. His selection brought the leader of a major Islamic party into a government headed by the secular-nationalist PDI-P and broadened its parliamentary coalition.
The administration faced separatist conflict, economic recovery and terrorism, including the 2002 Bali bombings. The vice presidency supplied political and religious outreach, although executive leadership remained centred on Megawati and the division of responsibilities was less formal than under later directly elected tickets.
From assembly selection to direct election
Hamzah’s term ended in 2004 as Indonesia shifted to direct presidential elections. He ran for president with retired general Agum Gumelar but finished last in the first round. The result showed that an established party network and high office did not automatically translate into a national popular mandate under the new rules.
He remained PPP chair until 2007 and then withdrew from day-to-day national politics. Hamzah died on 24 July 2024. His career spans two distinct systems: controlled New Order parliamentary representation and the competitive coalition politics of Reformasi.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions about Hamzah Haz
- Who was Hamzah Haz?
- Hamzah Haz was an islamic party leader and ninth Vice President of Indonesia. Hamzah Haz brought decades of Islamic-party parliamentary experience into the post-Suharto executive and helped provide coalition support during Megawati’s presidency.
- What is Hamzah Haz best known for?
- Hamzah Haz is best known for leading the United Development Party and serving as Megawati Sukarnoputri’s vice president from 2001 to 2004.
- When and where was Hamzah Haz born?
- Hamzah Haz was born on 15 February 1940 in Ketapang, West Kalimantan.
- When did Hamzah Haz die?
- Hamzah Haz died on 24 July 2024.
Sources and further reading
How this biography was checked
Core dates and offices are checked against the sources below. This profile was last reviewed on 3 October 2026.
- Secretariat of the Vice President of IndonesiaVice presidents of Indonesia from 1945 to the present
- Ministry of State Secretariat of IndonesiaOfficial profile and obituary of Hamzah Haz
- Presidential Archives Study Centre, National Archives of IndonesiaPresidential archive for Megawati Sukarnoputri
- Secretariat of the Vice President of IndonesiaPolitical-party regeneration and Hamzah Haz’s PPP leadership
- Wikimedia CommonsOfficial vice-presidential portrait and public-domain record
