Taufikurrahman Saleh

Taufikurrahman Saleh (4 September 1949 – 20 January 2023) was an Indonesian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the People's Representative Council representing the constituency of East Java IX from 1999 until 2009. He previously served as a member of the Surabaya city council and the East Java provincial assembly.

Early life and career

Early life

Taufikurrahman Saleh was born on 4 September 1949 in Surabaya, East Java, to Muhammad Saleh and Siti Maemunah. His father, Muhammad Saleh, was of Javanese and Madurese descent and once led the East Java branch of the Nahdlatul Ulama, while his mother, Siti Maemunah, was of Javanese descent.

He completed his secondary education at the 9th Surabayan Junior State High School and a private high school in 1968 and 1970, respectively. He then studied law at the Airlangga University for ten years, graduating in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in law. During his time in the university, Taufikurrahman was active in various student organizations. He held leading positions in the Nahdlatul Ulama Students' Association and the Muslim Students' Association and chaired the university's student senate between 1975 and 1977.

Shortly after his term in the council ended, in 1997 Taufikurrahman became a member of the East Java Regional People's Representative Council. After the fall of the Suharto regime in 1998, Taufikurrahman became the deputy speaker of the East Java Regional People's Representative Council. On the same year, Nahdlatul Ulama members split themselves from the United Development Party to form the National Awakening Party (PKB). Taufikurrahman joined the party and became a member of its central board. During his time in the council, Taufikurrahman was assigned to different commissions for short periods of time. In 2005, Taufikurrahman was nominated as the regent of Lamongan with a running mate from the Golkar party, but lost in the election.

In October 1999, Taufikurrahman was instructed by , the party's chairman, to become a member of the preparation committee for the People's Consultative Assembly general session. The general session saw the election of Abdurrahman Wahid, PKB's main leader, as Indonesia's president. Shortly afterwards, Wahid appointed Taufikurrahman as the party's leader in parliament. However, at the beginning of 2008, during a split between Abdurrahman Wahid and deputy speaker from PKB Muhaimin Iskandar, Taufikurrahman sided with Muhaimin and registered himself as a candidate for the People's Representative Council from Muhaimin's side. Muhaimin won control of the party in late 2008, but Taufikurrahman failed to be reelected.

Upon his retirement from the People's Representative Council, Taufikurrahman became active in Nahdlatul Ulama. He also continued his teaching career and wrote several books about education. Death Saleh died on 20 January 2023 in Surabaya, at age 73. He was buried two days later.