Former president Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie died at the age of 83 at the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital (RSPAD) in Central Jakarta on Wednesday.

Habibie's great-niece and singer-cum-activist Melanie Subono announced the news on her Instagram account on Wednesday evening.

"Thank you for making Indonesia a better place, thank you for teaching me how to be a fighter," she wrote in her post.

Habibie had been in intensive care at the RSPAD since Monday after a sudden deterioration in his health condition.

The prominent engineer, born on June 25, 1936, served as research and technology minister for 20 years in the administration of late president Soeharto. Habibie assumed the presidency after the resignation of Soeharto in May 1998 and served in that role until fresh elections were held in 1999.