Taufiq Kiemas

Who was Taufiq Kiemas?

Taufiq Kiemas was the Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly of Indonesia from 2009 until his death in 2013. Taufiq was the husband of Megawati Sukarnoputri, President of Indonesia from 2001 to 2004.

Taufiq married Megawati in 1973; it was Megawati's third marriage. Together they had three children, M. Rizki Pramata, M. Pranada Prabowo, and Puan Maharani. Puan was the child of Taufiq's marriage to Megawati.

Taufiq joined with Megawati in active support of the PDI-P, the Indonesian Democratic Party – Struggle, one of the leading political parties in Indonesia. As of 2008, Taufiq was the leader of the PDI-P's Muslim religious wing, the BMI. He was a well-known participant in PDI-P affairs, often commenting on national matters such as preparations for the 2014 legislative and presidential elections in Indonesia and sometimes differing with his wife on certain issues concerning the management and leadership of the party.

Taufiq had bypass surgery in Australia in 2000 and had been hospitalised on a number of occasions after the treatment.