Former transportation minister Haryanto Dhanutirto passes away

Former transportation minister Prof. Dr. Haryanto Dhanutirto passed away at the Metropolitan Medical Center (MMC) hospital in Kuningan, South Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon, an official has announced.

“The former minister’s remains will be buried at the Cikutra cemetery in Bandung, West Java on Wednesday afternoon,” Transportation Ministry spokesman Bambang S Ervan said.

Before the burial, Bambang said a wake would be held at his home on Jl. Kayu Ambon no. 1 in Lembang, Bandung, West Java.

Haryanto served as transportation minister in the Sixth Development Cabinet from 1993-1998. He also served as food, drugs and horticulture minister in the Seventh Development Cabinet.

Haryanto was born on August 14, 1939 in Purwakarta, West Java. He started his career as an assistant lecturer in the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in 1962-1966 before becoming a professor there.

Prior to being appointed minister, Haryanto had held various positions in government.

He was an assistant to the Research and Technology Ministry from 1969-1987. He was also a senior scientist in the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) from 1983-1987 and a deputy in the basic and applied science department of the BPPT.

Haryanto was also active in the Golkar party. In the party he chaired the research and development department. He was a lawmaker in the House of Representatives in 1977-1978 and a member of the Peoples Consultative Assembly from 1982-1987, kompas.com reported.

Besides politics, the former minister was also active in various organizations; he was, for example, the chairman of the Indonesian Pharmacist Association (ISFI). (riz)