Harun Al Rasyid Zain


Harun Al Rasyid Zain, also known as Datuk Sinaro, was an Indonesian teacher, economist and bureaucrat. He served as the Minister of Manpower and Transmigration in the Third Development Cabinet and for two periods he was the governor of West Sumatra. He was also a Rector of the Andalas University in Padang, Indonesia.

Personal Life

Harun Zain is the sixth child of seven brothers from Sutan Muhammad Zain, a Pariangan-birth professor and a prominent language expert. He was born in Jakarta. His childhood was spent in large cities in Java such as Bandung, Batavia, Yogyakarta and Surabaya as he follows his father who served as a teacher.
Harun Zain passed away on October 19, 2014 at the age of 87 because of his illness. His body was buried at Kalibata Heroes Cemetery, Jakarta.

Career

Harun Zain attended the University of California at Berkeley in 1958-1960. He started his career in 1961 as a lecturer at Andalas University, Padang, West Sumatra; he commuted from the University of Indonesia to Andalas. In 1962, Zain was appointed dean of the university's Faculty of Economics. In 1964, he became the rector of the Andalas University until year 1966, which was encouraged by West Sumatran figures Chairul Saleh and Hasyim Ning.
In 1966 he was appointed the Governor of West Sumatra for two periods up to 1977. Harun Zain proposed the Army Brigadier General Azwar Anas to become his successor.
Because of his education in the United States on labor economics as well as his experience as governor in one of the receiving provinces from the Indonesian Transmigration program, in 1978 he was appointed to become the Minister of Manpower and Transmigration in the Third Development Cabinet and served until 1983. After finishing his career in the cabinet, he became one of the member of the Indonesian Supreme Advisory Council from 1983 to 1988, which at that time was led by Maraden Panggabean. Between 1985 and 1977, Harun Zain was also a rector of the Mercu Buana University, Jakarta.

Cited works