Syahrir

Syahrir (24 February 1945 - 28 July 2008) was a prominent Indonesian political economist. He was officially appointed by President of the Republic of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as Economic Adviser in the Council of Presidential Advisers on 11 April.2007. [http://presidenri.go.id/index.php/fokus/2007/04/11/1717.html] As a student activist, he was once sentenced to jail during the Malari demonstration in 1974.

Biography

He was born in Kudus, Central Java, on the 24 February 1945. Syahrir was born as the only child to the Ma’amoen Al Rasyid and Roesma Malik couple, both from the village of Koto Gedang in West Sumatra. His father was a high-ranking government official in Central Java during the Dutch colonial time, while his mother was an official at the Inspectorate of Women Education, Department of Education.(Mangiang et al 1995)

Syahrir received his early childhood education in a public school in Jakarta; he also spent a year in the Dalton School Elementary School, Amsterdam. He continued his study to a Catholic high school, Canisius College in Jakarta. It was there that he discovered his love for economics. From Canisius College, he was enrolled at the University of Indonesia, where he studied economics.

During his study in the university, he became active in the Djakarta Students Association ("Ikatan Mahasiswa Djakarta" or IMADA), a student union. His involvement at IMADA made him appointed as the head of United Actions of Indonesian Students ("Kesatuan Aksi Mahasiswa Indonesia" or KAMI). Meanwhile, his activities in intra university organization made him appointed as a General Secretary of Students Senate, Faculty of Economics, University of Indonesia. [ [http://www.tokohindonesia.com/ensiklopedi/s/sjahrir/index.shtml Syahrir, Ketua Umum Partai Perhimpunan Indonesia Baru (Partai PIB) | Ensiklopedi Tokoh Indonesia ] ]

Historically, the student body at University of Indonesia had some significant roles in the country’s political movement.Who|date=July 2007 In 1974, students demonstrated against the government’s policy regarding the role of foreign investment in Indonesia. The demonstration somehow led to a riot—the incident is known as Malari. Syahrir, who was just graduated as a Bachelor in Economics from the Faculty of Economy, University of Indonesia and was getting ready to leave the country for a master degree scholarship at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University,was arrested, tried and sentenced to 6,5 years of prison for subversion and his involvement in Malari. However, he only spent almost 4 years in jail as political detainee.

Syahrir is known as an economist and as a politician. While he was a student at the Faculty of Economics in the University of Indonesia in 1974, Syahrir became an activist, a background that led him to politics. In 2002, he founded the New Indonesia Alliance Party as his effort in offering a solution to the turbulent country.Fact|date=May 2007

He graduated from Harvard University with a Ph.D. degree in Political Economy & Government in 1983. It was in Harvard that he became friends with Ninoy Aquino and Kim Dae Jung.Fact|date=May 2007 He returned to Jakarta in the same year.

After earning his Ph. D, he became a lecturer in his former faculty, Faculty of Economics, University of Indonesia. He founded an organization called Institute for Economic and Financial Research (Ecfin) with his fellow economists.Fact|date=May 2007 One of them was Mari Elka Pangestu, the current Indonesian Minister of Trades. He also founded another organization called Yayasan Padi & Kapas, which focuses on research, education & public health. During this time, he was active as a consultant and advisor for state banks and public companies.

In 2001, during the Reformation era, Syahrir founded the New Indonesia Alliance ("Perhimpunan Indonesia Baru"). The main activity of the Alliance is to organize cabinet watch. The cabinet watch’s task is to monitor the government’s decisions on certain policies and then to announce the result of the observation to the public.

Syahrir establishmed the New Indonesia Alliance Party ("Partai Perhimpunan Indonesia Baru").This party tried to offer an alternative solution to Reformation era by aiming to participate in the next national parliament election. Then the president of the Republic of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, appointed Syahrir as Economic Advisor to the President. Syahrir’s responsibility as Economic Advisor to the President includes being special envoys to other countries, fulfilling presidential missions.

Syahrir passed away on July 28, 2008 at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore. He had an advanced stage lung cancer. He was buried in the Tanah Kusir Cemetery, Jakarta, on July 29, 2008 [ [http://www.thejakartapost.com/node/176159] [http://cetak.kompas.com/read/xml/2008/07/29/00445664/dr.sjahrir.berpulang] (Indonesian)]

Personal life

Syahrir was married to Kartini Syahrir, a chairman of the Indonesian Anthropological Association.

References

* [http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20070405.E01 Jakarta Post Editorial on The Council of Presidential Adviser]
* [http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2007/4/4/president-meets-would-be-presidential-advisory-council-members/ Headlines at Antara]
* [http://english.people.com.cn/200704/04/eng20070404_363717.html People's Daily Online on Presidential Advisory Council]
* [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-04/04/content_5934090.htm Xinhua Online on Presidential Advisory Council]
* [http://kerrycollison.net/index.php?/archives/5513-The-advisors-and-the-advised.html Kerry B. Collison The Advisors and The Advised]
* RI loses critical economist in the passing Sjahrir [http://www.thejakartapost.com/node/176159]
* [http://cetak.kompas.com/read/xml/2008/07/29/00445664/dr.sjahrir.berpulang] (Indonesian)

External links

* [http://www.syahrir.net Dr. Syahrir's personal website]

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