Airlangga University has new rector

SURABAYA: After an uncertain four months, Puruhito, a surgeon, was inducted on Friday as the new rector of Surabaya-based Airlangga University for the 2001/05 period to replace Soedarto.

Minister of National Education Malik Fadjar led the ceremony, which was initiated with a small procession and the reading of the Koranic verses.

Puruhito, who received 50 votes in the voting held in June, outnumbered the incumbent rector Soedarto and Soeroso Imam Zadjuli, the dean of the school of economy, who each won 24 votes.

However, President Megawati Soekarnoputri's decree on Puruhito's inauguration was handed down only on Nov. 2.

No one could explain why the presidential decree took so long to arrive at the campus.

Minister Malik Fadjar told reporters after the ceremony that there had been nothing wrong with Puruhito's induction. "The presidential decree was handed down on Nov. 2. There was nothing behind this. Everything is normal," he said.

Responding to questions posed by reporters about the very late induction, Puruhito, who turned 58 on Friday, said he had never been too ambitious in his life.

"I will start with managing the campus," he said about his short-term plan.

Rumor has it that then minister of national education Yahya Muhaimin singled Puruhito out as the prospective rector for his 'poor track record'. --JP