While Habibie did not survive long in office, it was long enough to put in place a political, economic, legal and socio-cultural system that has continued to structure the country to this day. Habibie, as the quintessential builder”, lived up to his name right to the very last minute of his Presidency, even though, the decision not to contest the Presidency was already made in July 1999 as the best option to ensure that his democratic ‘creation’ survived.

It is against this backdrop that this study attempts to unravel the thinking and policies of this largely misunderstood man. Who is B.J. Habibie? What has shaped his outlook towards life? What drives him? Why has he been so successful? What has been the course of his career? How did he succeed in reaching the highest political office in Indonesia? What were his achievements? What did his critics and opponents say? What is the legacy of B.J. Habibie for Indonesia? What is his place in history? These queries are answered in this study.