The Jakarta Globe, Putri Prameshwari, March 29, 2009
Hundreds of family members, friends and state officials gathered on Sunday at the residence of Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari to mourn the death of her husband.
Muhammad Supari passed away on Saturday afternoon at the age of 66 from leukemia. He was admitted to Jakarta’s Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital on Wednesday.
“He fell into a coma on Saturday morning,” said Lily Sulistyowati, chief spokeswoman for the Health Ministry, “and at 5:20 p.m., he passed away.”
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited Supari’s house on Sunday night, after returning from campaigning in Aceh Province.
The president described Supari as a humble man who never lost his spirit, even when ill.
“He kept motivating his wife to work even when he was sick,” Yudhoyono said.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla and his wife visited the minister’s house on Saturday night to pay their respects.
Lily said Supari first became ill last September, before being diagnosed with leukemia, a cancer of the blood.
“He looked quite healthy for the past few months,” Lily said, “but that’s the thing with cancer, you just never know when it’s going to strike.”
Lily said Supari was buried at the San Diego Hills cemetery in Karawang, West Java Province, later on Sunday.
A number of ministers reportedly attended the funeral service, including Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, Home Affairs Minister Mardiyanto and Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono.
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