Tarmizi Taher

After qualifying as a medical doctor, he started his career in the Indonesian Navy and retired with the rank of rear admiral. He then served as General Secretary of the Department of Religious Affairs for 5 years, before being appointed as Minister in 1993. After leaving his ministerial position, Taher has held other public appointments, including Indonesian ambassador to Norway and Iceland. He has served as the elected chairman of Dewan Masjid Indonesia (Indonesian Mosque Council), an umbrella organization of local Mosque councils, the president of Az-zahra Islamic University in Jakarta, and the president director of Center for Moderate Moslem (CMM), a non-governmental organization aiming at improving understanding and cooperation among Islamic organizations. He was honored with Gusi Peace Prize from Philippines for his engagement in religious affairs.