Habibie gets award from Muslim intellectual organization

Antara News, Sunday, December 5, 2010 15:48 WIB

BJ Habibie (ANTARA News/Jo Seng Bie)Bogor, West Java (ANTARA News) - Former president BJ Habibie receives an award from the Indonesian Muslim Intellectual Association (ICMI) for his contribution to the organization and the country.

BJ Habibie 

ICMI`s Chairman Azyumardi Azra presented the award to Habibie during the opening ceremony of the organization`s fifth congress at the Bogor Palace here on Sunday.

Azra said that thanks to his intelligence Habibie had brought fame to the country ever since he was young. "Even first president Soekarno when meeting Habibie who would leave for abroad to study stated he entrusted Indonesia`s fate to him," Azra said.

He said Habibie during his presidency in 1998-1999 period had succeeded to support reforms and democratization in Indonesia. Habibie, he added, also had contributed to the freedom of press and protection towards human rights. The fourth Indonesian president was also considered successful in handling the economic crisis which hit Indonesia during his government.

The Sunday congress is participated in by several prominent figures who are also ICMI`s members such as the Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Radjasa, National Education Minister Muhammad Nuh, Finance Minister Agus Martowardjojo, Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali, Marine and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad and State-Owned Enterprises Minister Mustafa Abubakar.

ICMI is an organization for Indonesian Muslim intellectuals who are committed to preserving Islamic values without seeing the political lines, colors and groups of their members. The organization was founded in Malang on December 7, 1990.