Noted figures pay tribute to economist Arndt

Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Noted economist, friend or mentor, not one person in attendance at a gathering to pay tribute to the late Australian economist Heinz W. Arndt could sum him up in just one word.

"To me, he was not only a good economist that I could look up to, but he was also a friend as well as a mentor," Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor Anwar Nasution said during his speech.

Anwar delivered his speech in front of hundreds of friends and associates of the late celebrated economist on Friday afternoon, 25 days after Arndt was killed in a car accident in Canberra at the age of 87.

The gathering at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) was organized by CSIS together with the Australian National University where Arndt had worked as a professor of economics for more than 50 years.

The presence of prominent figures from various disciplines, both local and international experts, gave an indication of the deep respect many people around the world had for the late professor, who was the founding editor of the Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies (BIES).

The bulletin, which Indonesian economist Thee Kian Wee praises as "the only internationally recognized journal on the Indonesian economy at present", was founded and edited by Arndt for its first 18 years.

As a tribute to Arndt, a CD package was also launched at the end of the gathering. The CD consists of all the articles ever published by the quarterly bulletin, covering 36 volumes and 107 issues.

Aside from the experts, many businessmen and high-ranking officials paid their respects at the gathering, including Minister of Finance Boediono and Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Richard Smith. They each delivered a brief speech remembering their personal and professional relationship with the economist.

A panel discussion was held during the gathering, featuring Anwar, well-known Indonesianists Chris Manning, Ross McLeod, Thee Kian Wee and CSIS economist Tubagus Feridhanusetyawan.

All the panelists took turns talking about Arndt.

Referring to the BIES, Anwar said: "The benefits of the bulletin were enormous, because it was being read by policymakers, the business community and served as a reference for students studying economy."

Manning, a former student of Arndt's, recalled that he was a hard-working professor.

"Hard work and a high level of discipline, that's how I would describe him," said Manning, who now works with the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas).

During the discussion, some participants voiced their admiration of Arndt, especially in his contributions to Indonesia.

The CD will be distributed free to any university or institution in the country that sends an official written request.

"They can write to CSIS with a formal request for it, and we'll deliver it free of charge," CSIS executive Hadi Soesastro said.

The CDs would also be made available to those who would like a personal copy, Hadi went on, with a price tag of Rp 1 million per copy. "The proceeds of which will be used for something beneficial, such as scholarships."