Gus Dur gets warm welcome during his N. Sulawesi tour<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid received on Monday a
\nwarm welcome during his tour to Bitung, North Sulawesi, when
\nthousands of elementary and high school students cheerfully
\ngreeted him.<\/p>\n
The students put aside the first day of their 2001\/2002 school
\nyear to greet the President. With each waving a smaller version
\nof the country's red and white flag, students and teachers braved
\nthe sun's heat and waited for hours to welcome the President and
\nhis entourage.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by First Lady Sinta Nuriyah, Minister of Forestry
\nMarzuki Usman and Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
\nRokhmin Dahuri, the President arrived in Manado on Monday for a
\ntwo-day visit to the province.<\/p>\n
Students and teachers said they were extremely pleased with
\nthe President's visit to mark the construction of the Bitung
\ncontainer port since the modern port was expected to accelerate
\nthe province's exports and imports to neighboring countries in
\nthe Pacific Rim.<\/p>\n
"When I finish my SMU (senior high school), I will also be
\nable to work at the port," student Rininta Supit told Antara.<\/p>\n
The President laid the port's first cornerstone and also
\ninaugurated the first direct shipping route from Bitung to
\nSingapore.<\/p>\n
"They were enthusiastic and happy although they had to wait
\nfor hours on the side of the road in the sun," said teacher
\nSamuel Muhalling, who was busy watching his students.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman did not forget to make a new promise to the
\npeople. "I promise to follow Bitung Port's development by
\nproviding computerization," he pledged.<\/p>\n
The President also officiated on Monday the extension of Sam
\nRatulangi Airport's runway from 2,500 meters to 2,650 meters. The
\nproject had started in 1997. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) had
\nprovided a US$150 million loan to finance its construction.<\/p>\n
The President said he had invited Saudi Arabian investors to
\nbuild bridges along the route from Manado to Makassar in South
\nSulawesi, which would enable tourists to make the overland
\njourney.<\/p>\n
"They can come by train or other modes of land
\ntransportation," said the President.<\/p>\n
He also warned North Sulawesi Governor A.J. Sondakh to remove
\nthe mercury that was present in the tourist resort of Bunaken and
\nthreatened that he would not visit the area again if the governor
\nfailed to follow his order.<\/p>\n
"I will only go to Bunaken when the level of mercury has
\ndropped," the President warned.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman is scheduled to open the second Great Minahasa
\ncongress in Tomohon, Minahasa regency on Tuesday.(prb)<\/p>",
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