Syahril Sabirin
Syahril Sabirin | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 14, 1943 Indonesia |
| Occupation | Economist |
| Known for | Governor of Bank Indonesia (1998–2003) |
Syahril Sabirin (born 14 October 1943) is a prominent Indonesian economist who held the position of Governor of Bank Indonesia, the nation's central bank, from 1998 until 2003. In 2009, he received a two-year prison sentence due to his connection with the Bank Bali scandal.
Education
In 1968, Syahril earned his degree in economics from Gadjah Mada University. He was awarded a USAID scholarship in 1972 to pursue further studies at Williams College, where he completed a Master of Arts in Development Economics in 1973. Subsequently, he obtained a PhD in economics from Vanderbilt University in 1979.
Career
Syahril began his career at Bank Indonesia in 1969 and later worked as a Senior Financial Economist at the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC for three years. During the 1997 Asian financial crisis in late 1997, President Suharto called him back to Bank Indonesia. He was appointed Governor in February 1998, taking over from Soedradjad Djiwandono. Throughout his tenure, Syahril directed the central bank's response to the financial crisis under Presidents Suharto, BJ Habibie, and Abdurrahman Wahid, and managed the institution’s shift to independence in May 1999. His term concluded in May 2003.
Legal case
In 2000, Syahril encountered disagreements with President Wahid regarding banking policies; however, due to Bank Indonesia's autonomous status, the president did not have the power to dismiss its governor. The Attorney General accused him of involvement in the Bank Bali fraud case. In March 2002, the Central Jakarta District Court sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment, but he remained free during the appeal process and continued serving as governor. The conviction was overturned by the Jakarta High Court in August 2002, and his acquittal was confirmed by the Supreme Court in 2004. Nevertheless, in a controversial move, the Supreme Court reopened the case in 2009 and imposed a two-year prison sentence on Syahril.