Youth and early education

Bambang Soesatyo was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 10 September 1962.^[1] He was raised in a military family, and grew up in a military dormitory. His father, S.E. Prijono, was a soldier who came from Semarang. Bambang began his early education by enrolling at SD Negeri VIII (the equivalent of primary school), graduating in 1975. He then attended middle school at SMP Negeri 49 and graduated in 1978. He then pursued his secondary education majoring in science at SMA Negeri 14, Jakarta, and graduated in 1981.^[2]

Later education

After finishing his secondary education, he enrolled at the Jayabaya Accounting University and graduated from there in 1985. During his time in Jayabaya, he chaired the University's Student Senate (OSIS). Following his graduation in 1985, he completed a pre-MBA course at the Institute for Management Education and Development (IPPM), before attaining a degree in public administration from Indonesia Open University in 1988.^[2]

He obtained a degree in corporate management from the Indonesian College of Economics in 1992 after completing his MBA at Newport Management Institute of Indonesia in 1990.^[3][4]

During his studies, he was active in student organizations, including the Indonesian Youth Renewal Generation (Indonesian: Angkatan Muda Pembaharuan Indonesia), and was affiliated with Golkar, which was then the ruling political party of President Suharto.^[5]

As a politician

After failing to gain a seat four times (including in 1997, 1999, and 2004), Bambang secured a seat in the House of Representatives following the 2009 elections where he had run in Central Java's 7th electoral district—covering the regencies of Purbalingga, Banjar, and Kebumen.^[5][6] Upon his inauguration, he was assigned to Commission III on Law, Human Rights, and Security. Later, he was part of a special committee investigating a controversial Rp 6.7 trillion bailout for Bank Century, given during the financial crisis of 2007–2008, which involved finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and later Vice President Boediono.^[7]

In 2014, Bambang stood for re-election in the election and received 57,235 votes, making him the only candidate from the district affiliated with Golkar.^[11] He blamed vote buying as a reason for Golkar's declining votes.^[12] By January 2016, internal changes in Golkar resulted in him being assigned as Chairman of Commission III.^[13] Bambang was also a member of a special committee (Panitia Khusus/Pansus) for the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), seen by many observers as an attempt to restrict the anti-graft body's powers.^[14]

Bambang called for the sacking of the chairman of the Audit Board of Indonesia in 2016 when the body's investigation into a hospital purchase by the Jakarta Provincial Government was contradicted by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) which found no violations.^[15] In 2017, as part of a committee investigating KPK, he stated that the body exhibited internal friction and insubordination to its leadership.^[16]

He called for the expansion of regulations against homosexuality in Indonesia, blaming online social media for the spread of LGBT groups and claiming that 3 percent of the population would be gay without citing his source.^[17] Bambang also called for the Indonesian National Police and the Indonesian State Intelligence Agency to prosecute provocateurs and hoax propagators on social media.^[18]

Parliament speaker

After being implicated in a $170 million graft scandal, Setya Novanto resigned as Golkar chairman and parliament speaker in late 2017. Golkar's new chairman, Airlangga Hartarto, appointed Bambang as the new parliament speaker and he was sworn in on 15 January 2018.^[19][20] Fellow Golkar parliamentarian Kahar Muzakir replaced him as head of Commission III.^[21] While some analysts praised Bambang's appointment based on his seniority and political experience, others cited a possible conflict of interest due to his involvement in the special committee conducting an inquiry into KPK.^[22][23] However, Bambang resigned from the special committee after he was sworn in.^[14]

MPR speaker

Bambang was in October 2019 elected by acclamation Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).^[24] In August 2020, he proposed legalizing ownership of 9-millimeter pistols and ammunition for self-defense.^[25]