Jakarta. Indonesia is mourning the passing of Kwik Kian Gie, a respected economist and former senior minister, who died Monday evening at Medistra Hospital in South Jakarta. He was 90.

News of his passing was first shared by Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno via an Instagram post. “Farewell, Pak Kwik Kian Gie. Economist, educator, true nationalist. A mentor who never tired of fighting for what’s right. He stood firm in the storm, for the people and the nation. Indonesia mourns,” Sandiaga wrote on Tuesday.

Kwik's body is currently lying in repose at Sentosa Funeral Home on Jalan Kweni, Central Jakarta, where friends, family, and colleagues are gathering to pay their final respects.

Born in Juwana, Central Java, on January 11, 1935, Kwik pursued his early education in Indonesia and studied briefly at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Indonesia before continuing his studies at the Nederlandsche Economische Hogeschool Rotterdam—now Erasmus University—graduating in 1963.

He showed an early passion for education and economics. In 1954, he co-founded Erlangga High School in Surabaya, and later, the Prasetiya Mulya Management Institute in 1982 and the Indonesian Business Institute, which would eventually be renamed in his honor as the Kwik Kian Gie School of Business.

Kwik entered politics in 1987 by joining the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), aligning himself closely with Megawati Soekarnoputri as the party transitioned into PDI-P. He held key positions including DPP chairman and head of the party’s research and development body, eventually serving as deputy speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR).

During President Abdurrahman Wahid’s administration, Kwik served as Coordinating Minister for the Economy from 1999 to 2000. Under President Megawati, he became National Development Planning Minister and head of Bappenas from 2001 to 2004. For his contributions, he was awarded the Bintang Mahaputera Adipradana in 2005.

Known for his critical stance on national economic policies, Kwik was a vocal advocate for economic sovereignty and often challenged Indonesia’s dependency on foreign debt and institutions like the IMF. He was also an early and consistent critic of entrenched oligarchic interests.

Economist Didik J. Rachbini remembered Kwik as an independent figure with the courage to challenge the political-economic status quo. He famously warned against the influence of “black conglomerates” who exploited national resources at the expense of the public.

His enduring legacy includes both his contributions to Indonesia’s economic thought and his role in building institutions that continue to educate future generations. The Kwik Kian Gie School of Business stands as a testament to his lifelong dedication to education and reform.

Kwik Kian Gie is survived by his family, who have asked for privacy as they prepare funeral arrangements.