Economist and 1974 student leader Syahrir dies

Economic presidential advisor Syahrir passed away in Singapore on Monday morning after undergoing weeks of treatment for a lung cancer, close friends in Jakarta said. He was 63.

Syahrir, an economist by training, made his public career as a student leader who spoke against then president Soeharto in 1974, an activity that landed him in jail. Upon his release four years later, he went to do his masters degree at Harvard University.

He has since his return become one of the most active and often provocative commentators of the Indonesian economy.

He set up the New Indonesian Party to contest the 2004 elections but the party scored poorly. His wife Kartika has since taken over the party leadership.

In April 2007, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono recruited Syahrir to his presidential advisory team. Syahrir runs his own blog http://catatansyahrir.wordpress.com.

His own last article was posted April 21 when he commented on the appointment of Boediono as the new central bank governor. (*****)