Tangerang. Ilham Akbar Habibie has been officially nominated by the National Democratic Party (Nasdem) for the West Java gubernatorial election after maintaining a low profile during his busy career as an entrepreneur.

He appears to be following in the footsteps of his father, the late President Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, who was a renowned aviation engineer and scientist before joining the Soeharto cabinet in 1978 as research and technology minister at the age of 42.

Ilham, 61, said on Tuesday that he decided to enter politics to make a direct contribution to Indonesia’s goal of becoming a developed nation by its centennial anniversary, known as the Golden Indonesia 2045 Vision.

West Java, the country’s most populous province, provides the best starting point for his political ambitions, he said during a visit to B-Universe Media Holdings office in Pantai Indah Kapuk 2, Tangerang.

To become a developed nation, Indonesia must have a world-class industrial environment and productivity level, he said.

"I entered politics to join the concerted efforts to achieve that vision. This is an important decision for me because we share the vision of becoming a developed nation,” Ilham said.

Ilham pointed to Asian countries like Japan and South Korea, which successfully escaped the middle-income trap by strengthening their industrial sectors.

"Few people realize that more than 50 percent of our industries are located in West Java. If we want our nation to move forward, West Java is one of the best places to begin," Ilham said.

His father, as an engineer and cabinet minister, transformed the national aerospace industry (IPTN) into a major aircraft manufacturer under licenses from top global companies and developed home-grown turboprop planes in the West Java capital, Bandung.

Like his father, Ilham also emphasized the importance of upgrading manpower into highly skilled workers through special courses and training.

In the past, Habibie, as a minister, provided the Overseas Fellowship Program for selected students to train them as world-class engineers.

However, Ilham vowed to expand his vision beyond the manufacturing sector, stating that the agriculture, fishery, and plantation sectors are equally important for the archipelagic nation.