Unpad to award Mahathir honorary doctorate

Unpad to award Mahathir honorary doctorate

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung

Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohammad will
receive an honorary doctorate from Indonesia's state-run
Padjajaran University (Unpad) in Bandung, West Java, next
month, it was announced on Wednesday.

Unpad spokesman Hadi Suprapto Arifin said Mahathir had
confirmed his willingness to accept the degree when university
rector Himendra Wargahadibrata visited the ex-prime minister at
his home in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

Mahathir is scheduled to receive the degree on Feb. 6.

Hadi said Mahathir deserved the honorary degree for his sound
economic policies when running the Malaysian administration.

"Mahathir's economic policies put emphasis on independence by
combining the role of the government and private sector," Hadi
added.

The decision to confer the honorary doctorate was not
politically motivated, he said, arguing that Mahathir was no
longer in power.

Hadi said that the conferment would be held in an open
ceremony led by the Unpad rector at the university's Sanusi
Hardjadinata Hall on Jl. Dipati Ukur, Bandung.

Mahathir will also meet the Malaysian Students Association at
Preanger Hotel in Bandung.

After visiting Bandung, the former prime minister is scheduled
to head to Jakarta to attend other events.