He was born in and had most of his education in Maluku, from elementary to junior high school[6] before moving to Fak-Fak, (where his father is from) to take high school.[6][7] He decided to study economics in Jayapura at Port Numbay Economy College, a local private college.[8] However, as he revealed during a guest lecture in University of Brawijaya, he graduated very late at age of 26 years old, as his education was interrupted due to his involvement in the May 1998 riots.[9]
During his time as a student, he was active in the Muslim Students' Association in Papua, and he eventually reached the position of General Treasurer of the National Leadership of the Muslim Students' Association.[10][6]
Business career
His first job was as a cake seller when he was a pre-teen. He later became a bus conductor when he was just a teenager, and eventually became a public transportation driver when he was in senior high school.[11] Years later, after he had graduated from Port Numbay, he was hired as a worker of Sucofindo, a state-run company.[11] With his friends, he later founded three companies named PT Rifa Capital, PT Bersama Papua Unggul, and PT Dwijati Sukses.[12]
He owns PT Rifa Capital Holding Company and 10 other companies, and is active mostly in the transportation and property sectors.[7]
He is a former chairman of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association.[13]
As a businessman, at some point in time, he met Joko Widodo who was a fellow businessman at that time and befriended him. The friendship they shared was very close to the point Joko Widodo himself considered him a brother.[11]
For his work for Joko Widodo campaign in defending his presidency, in October 2019, he was appointed head of BKPM (Indonesian: Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal, English: Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board).[14] He was sworn in as Indonesia's first minister of investment on 28 April 2021, following the creation of the Ministry of Investment.[14][15]
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources
On 4 February 2022, Arifin Tasrif, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources was suddenly replaced by Lahadalia as ad interim minister for undisclosed health-related issue reason. The change is effective from 3 February 2022.[2][3] It was later revealed that Tasrif is infected with COVID-19, and the change of the ministry is just temporary.[4]