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RI Ambassador to Qatar, NU figure Rozy Munir dies at 67

NU Online  ·  Selasa, 23 Februari 2010 | 03:15 WIB

Jakarta, NU Online
The Indonesian Ambassador to Qatar, H E Rozy Munir (pictured), passed away yesterday in Jakarta while undergoing treatment in a hospital.

The leading figure in the country’s largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), and a former minister during KH Abdurrahman Wahid’s administration, died Monday morning aged 67.<>

He is survived by his wife, Mufida Munir, his three sons, Avianto Muhtadi, Benny Saaf and Citra Fitri Agustina (Cifi), and three grandchildren.

“Father died at 7:50 a.m.,” his son, Avianto Muhtadi, was quoted as saying by Antara state news agency on Monday.

Munir, who had been diagnosed with liver cancer a month ago, was treated at Pelni Hospital in Jakarta for about three weeks.

His remains will be flown to Mojokerto, East Java, for burial. 

A graduate from the University of Hawaii and a lecturer in economics at the University of Indonesia, Munir was appointed investment and state-owned enterprises minister by then president Wahid, his superior at NU. He was also a member of the National Censorship Agency.

Munir was known among NU members as the man behind the success of the International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS) in 2004 and 2006, according to the organization on its website, NU Online. The conferences, initiated by NU, were attended by Muslim scholars from more than 100 countries.

Former women’s empowerment minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa, also a prominent figure from NU, hailed the late Munir as a great teacher.

“Pak Rozy’s hobby was to look for young people to be taught managerial skills,” she was quoted as saying by vivanews.com.

“Over the last five years Pak Rozy sent more than 300 students from pesantren to learn about administration in the United Kingdom,” she added.

A number of NU figures such as KH Salahuddin Wahid, KH Abbas Muin, Bina Suhendra, Nasihin Hasan and Cholil Nafis were seen visiting Pelni Hospital.

While the Indonesian embassy in Doha expressed deep sorrow over the death of Munir. The mission and PERMIQA, the community organisation of Indonesians in Qatar, offered prayers for him yesterday at the embassy grounds.

A book of condolence will be kept for visitors at the embassy between 9am and 3pm today and tomorrow. The Indonesian Embassy is located on Al Maahed Street, Al Salata Al Jadeeda, Doha.

Ali Mustapha, president of PERMIQA, said their group would send flowers to the ambassador’s wake in Jakarta through an embassy staffer, Andang Pramanar, who was to fly to Jakarta last night.

“We will surely miss him. He was very nice and warm person and was very close to the community,” Mustapha said as quoted by thepeninsulaqatar.com.

The Thai Ambassador to Qatar, Suvat Chiparant, said he and his wife were very close to Munir. “We are like a family and I treated him like my uncle,” Chiparant said. “He was friendly, very generous and sincere to our colleagues,” he added.

Munir came to Qatar in 2007 for his first diplomatic mission after some stints with different government departments in several capacities. He formally presented his credentials to The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in November 26, 2007. (dar)