Former New Order economics minister dies

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Former coordinating minister for the economy and finance Saleh Afiff died on Tuesday evening at the Pertamina Hospital.

He was 74.

The official cause of his death was not made public, however, Saleh was admitted to the hospital earlier in the day due to respiratory problems, according to Antara.

Born in the West Java town of Cirebon on Oct. 31, 1930, Saleh served from 1993 to 1998 as the coordinating minister for the economy and finance.

He also chaired the state National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) from 1988-1998.

Bappenas, in charge in allocating and managing key economic programs, was one of the most powerful and prestigious arms of the state during president Soeharto's New Order era.

From 1983 to 1988, the University of Indonesia's (UI) Faculty of Economics graduate served in Cabinet as the minister for the state apparatus.

His Bappenas career started in 1967, the year he obtained his doctorate in Agricultural Economics from Oregon State University, when Saleh joined the body as the director of agriculture.

During that time, Saleh also gave lectures on economics at UI.

After his long stint as a state official ended in 1998, Saleh returned to campus life, becoming a professor of agricultural economics at the university.

He is survived by a wife and four children, detik.com reported.