Awang Faroek Ishak

Awang Faroek Ishak
11th Governor of East Kalimantan
In office 17 December 2008 – 18 September 2018
Deputy	Farid Wadjdy (2008–2013) Mukmin Faisyal (2013–2017) Vacant (2017–2018)
Preceded by	Yurnalis Ngayoh Syaiful Teteng (acting) Tarmizi Abdul Karim (acting)
Succeeded by	Meiliana (acting) Restuardy Daud (acting) Isran Noor
1st Regent of East Kutai
In office 1999–2003
Deputy	Mahyudin
Preceded by	Position Established
Succeeded by	Mahyudin
Member of People's Representative Council
In office 1 October 2019 – 1 October 2024
Constituency	East Kalimantan
In office 1 October 1987 – 1 October 1997
Constituency	East Kalimantan
Personal details
Born	(1948-07-31)31 July 1948 Tenggarong, East Kalimantan, Indonesia
Died	22 December 2024(2024-12-22) (aged 76) Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia
Political party	Golkar Party (1976–2016) Nasdem Party (2016–2024)
Spouse	Ence Amelia
Children	Awang Ferdian Hidayat Dayang Dona Faroek
Alma mater	IKIP Malang (S.Pd.) University of Indonesia (M.Si.)

Awang Faroek Ishak (31 July 1948 – 22 December 2024) was an Indonesian politician who served as the eleventh governor of East Kalimantan from 2008 to 2018. Originally, his tenure ended in December 2018, but he resigned on 4 September 2018 in order to run in the 2019 Legislative Election, competing for a seat in the People's Representative Council from East Kalimantan and then got elected.

Early life

Ishak was born in Tenggarong on 31 July 1948. He is the eleventh child of thirteen siblings from couple of Awang Ishak and Dayang Johariah.

Ishak studied at the Malang Teachers' Institute (IKIP Malang, today State University of Malang) for an bachelor degree of social education in 1973. He then pursued master degree of management in 1997. A year later, he gained another master degree of national defenses at University of Indonesia in 1998.

Ishak later worked as a lecturer at Mulawarman University in Samarinda. He gained the position of Dean of Education Faculty and 3rd University Director Assistant.

Political life

Awang Faroek Ishak at 2017.

Ishak was a member of the People's Representative Council for two terms, from 1987 to 1992 and from 1992 to 1997. After the reform era, Ishak was chosen to be an acting regent for the newly created regency of East Kutai that was previously part of Kutai Kartanegara Regency. Ishak was regent from 1999 until 2003 when he resigned to run for the position of governor of East Kalimantan. However, Ishak was defeated in the election by Suwarna Abdul Fatah.

When the first direct elections for regent were held in East Kutai in 2006 Ishak became a candidate, running against his former vice regent Mahyudin.

Ishak re-took the Regent position from Mahyudin after winning the East Kalimantan gubernatorial election in 2008 in two rounds. In the first round, Ishak and his running mate Farid Wadjdy won first place, defeating Achmad Amins and Jusuf SK. But because Ishak did not poll strongly enough to win outright (less than the 30% of the ballot needed to be declared the winner), the KPU (Election Committee) declared that a second round would be necessary with Ishak and Achmad Amins as the two runoff candidates. The second round of the gubernatorial elections were held in October 2008. Ishak won more than 50% the popular vote and became the 12th Governor of East Kalimantan.

Awang Faroek Ishak at his first term as governor

In 2018, he declared his intention to run for the People's Representative Council, resigning from the governorship on 18 September. He won a seat as a Nasdem Party legislator, but was not reelected for another term in 2024.

Death

Ishak died on 22 December 2024 at Kanujoso Hospital in Balikpapan due to undisclosed ilness.

Honours

• Star of Service, (1st Class) (Bintang Jasa Utama) - 2014
• Star of the Indonesian Veteran Legion (Bintang Legiun Veteran Indonesia)
• Badge of Melati (Lencana Melati)
• Badge of Darma Bakti (Lencana Darma Bakti)
• Medal for Service in the Field of Social Welfare (Satyalancana Kebhaktian Sosial)
• Medal for Contributing in the National Development (Satyalancana Pembangunan)
• Medal for Providing an Example of Meritorious Personality (Satyalancana Wira Karya)
• Civil Servants' Long Service Medal (Satyalancana Karya Satya)