Indonesian statesman and Muslim cleric Dr. Idham Chalid passed away on Sunday at his home at the Darul Ma'arif education complex in Cipete, South Jakarta.
The 87-year-old was believed to have succumbed to a gastric ailment that had plagued him for the past 10 years.
Born in Satui, South Kalimantan, on Aug. 27, 1922, Idham served as speaker of both the House of Representatives and People's Consultative Assembly between 1972 and 1977, and was also chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama, the country's biggest Muslim organization, from 1956 to 1985.
Idham also served as deputy prime minister under the country's founding president, Sukarno, and was one of the co-founders of the United Development Party (PPP), the country's oldest Islamic-based party.
His son, Saiful Hadi, said a funeral would take place on Monday at the family's Darul Quran Islamic boarding school in Cisarua, West Java. "We ask for the public's prayers and forgiveness for my father's sins," said Saiful, who is editor in chief of state-run news agency Antara.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono offered his condolences to the family and praised Idham's "remarkable service to the nation during his lifetime," presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said.
Said Aqil Siradj, the current chairman of NU, said Idham had been a successful religious and political moderate. "He was received well everywhere he went and always took the middle path, never veering to the extremes," he said.
Former NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi said Idham was renowned for the ease with which he adapted to changing political circumstances.
"Those who knew him would attest to the strength of his faith, but those who didn't would brand him an opportunist trying to cling to power," he said.
PPP secretary general Irgan Chairul Mahfiz said the party had lost a great leader in Idham, whom he called a "humble, charismatic and wise leader who contributed his thoughts, energy and funds to the Islamic cause."
Achmad Mubarok, from the advisory council of the ruling Democratic Party, praised Idham's pragmatism and powers of persuasion. "His brilliant thoughts and amicable personality were what inspired the NU faithful's continued trust in his leadership of the organization for so many years," he said.
He said that one of Idham's masterstrokes was to persuade several Muslim parties to unite as the PPP despite their minor ideological differences, and to make each of the parties feel they were a key part of the union.
PPP stalwart and prominent cleric Zainuddin MZ said Idham was a "multidimensional figure." "Politically, he was an unadorned figure who survived the independence, Sukarno and Suharto eras," he said.
"He was a religious leader, politician and bureaucrat, and could transition between all three roles seamlessly," he said, adding that Idham and former President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid personified NU's golden era.