Try Sutrisno, Indonesia’s sixth vice president who served from 1993 to 1998 alongside President Suharto, died March 2, 2026. He was 90. The cause was not disclosed.
He rose to national prominence through a long military career before moving into senior political office. He entered the Army Technical Academy (Atekad) as a cadet in 1956, beginning a path that took him through increasingly prominent assignments over the following decades.
A pivotal turn in his career came in 1974, when he became President Suharto’s aide, an appointment that positioned him for later top commands and placed him among the era’s well-known officers. He later served as vice president during Suharto’s final years in office, a period that ended with the political upheaval of 1998.
In later life, Try continued to speak publicly on questions of national direction centered on state ideology and constitutional fundamentals. In a People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) news release dated Oct. 16, 2024, he urged leaders to defend Pancasila and cautioned against changing the Preamble of the 1945 Constitution, while advising that any constitutional amendments be undertaken only with careful consideration. He also held institutional roles related to Pancasila. BPIP described him as Vice Chair of the agency’s Steering Board.
His public legacy remained closely tied to his 1993–1998 vice-presidential tenure and his later, dated interventions urging constitutional restraint and the defense of Pancasila.