List of World Leaders Who Have Indonesian Blood

Perdana Menteri Kanada Justin Trudeau
Sumber :
  • Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP

VIVA – Indonesia is a large country and archipelago. Therefore, it is not surprising that many people are spread everywhere. In fact, not only scattered in the country, but many Indonesians are also abroad.

In 2012, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held an Indonesian Diaspora conference and recorded 26 countries as overseas locations. They work in various sectors, from entrepreneurship to politics.

Well, here are some world leaders who have Indonesian Blood, as quoted from various sources. 

PM Kanada Justin Trudeau

Photo :
  • Instagram/justinpjtrudeau

Justin Pierre James Trudeau or Justin Trudeau as the prime minister of Canada turns out to have Indonesian blood. Justin Trudeau is the son of Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Margaret Sinclair. 

He has a great-grandmother from his mother, Margaret, named Cornelia Louisa Indvelt who was born in Padang, West Sumatra in 1808. His grandmother, Cornelia was the daughter of a Dutch citizen who lived in Padang and married a Nias person.

2. Richard Rakotonirina

Richard Rakotonirina underwent Sesko AD education in Bandung in 2000, followed by a Lemhanas course in 2011. He realized that his father was from Indonesia. He even seems to love Indonesian culture. 

Richard once served as Governor of the Madagascar Military Academy. The island nation on the eastern side of the African continent has been closed since the 7th century. He said that around 70 percent of Madagascar's 22 million citizens may have originated from the archipelago. 

3. Yusof Ishak

PM Lee Kuan Yew dan Presiden Singapura Yusof Ishak (kanan).

Photo :
  • utusan.com.my

Erick Yusof bin Ishak was the first president of Singapore after it separated from the Federation of Malaysia and became a republic on August 9, 1965. Yusof served as president from 1965-1970. He was born in Padang Gajah, Perah, Malaysia on August 12, 1910.

Although he was born in Malaysia, his parents were both Indonesian citizens. His Father is a Minangkabau, West Sumatra. While his mother is a resident of Langkat Regency, North Sumatra. He has a native Minangkabau noble ancestor named Datok Jonathan. So, he is a person of original Minang descent. 

4. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

Mantan Wakil Perdana Menteri Malaysia, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Photo :
  • The Straits Times

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is the eldest son of nine siblings. It turns out that the father of this Malaysian-born man is Javanese, namely Kulon Progo Regency, Yogyakarta. While Mom is from Ponorogo, East Java but was raised by her adoptive father of Chinese descent named Chen Jin Ting.

 Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has held positions as deputy prime minister for the 2015-2018 period, the home minister from 2013-2018, and the Malaysian defense minister from 2009-2013. 

5. Raymond Sapoen

Raymond Sapoen capres Suriname keturunan Jawa

Photo :
  • Suriname Herald

Raymond Sapoen's name became the talk of the town after he became a candidate for president of Suriname in 2015. A country that was once known to have many Indonesian citizens (WNI) settled. He is a second-generation immigrant from Java.

Around the 20th century, his family was sent by the Dutch colonials to work on plantations in Suriname. He started his career as a lawyer, then joined the National Democratic Party (NDP) for a short time. 

Then, he moved to the Pandawa Lima Party. Because of his work in the party, he was a legal advisor to the Suriname Development Planning Department in 1996. Moreover, three years later as Deputy Minister of Education.