President to go on 'safari' during Ramadhan<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Recovering from his flu, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is
\nset to go on tour across the archipelago during the rest of the
\nfasting month in a throwback to the Ramadhan 'safaris' of the New
\nOrder period.<\/p>\n
Susilo's trip will start in the densely populated area of
\nCilincing, North Jakarta, on Friday. The President, together with
\nsome other government officials, will then travel to Banten,
\nSouth Kalimantan, Southeast Sulawesi and West Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
During the heyday of the New Order regime, the fasting month
\nwas a hectic period for Golkar chairman Harmoko, who was also the
\ninformation minister.<\/p>\n
He toured every corner of the country to meet with people and
\npromote the government's development programs. As a result,
\nGolkar under Harmoko won a record 70 percent of the vote in the
\n1997 election.<\/p>\n
Minister of Religious Affairs Maftuh Basyuni said on Thursday
\nthat the President had revived the old practice because of its
\n\"good objectives.\"<\/p>\n
\"We intend to meet with the people. There is a possibility
\nthat the President will hold dialogs face to face with people in
\nthe areas he will visit,\" Maftuh said after a meeting with the
\nPresident at the latter's office.<\/p>\n
Although nominated by the minuscule Democratic Party, Susilo,
\nan Army general during Soeharto's New Order, won an outright
\nmajority in the direct presidential election last year.<\/p>\n
Since taking office, Susilo has introduced policies to keep
\nhim close to the people. most notably a text message number that
\nenables people to convey their problems or complaints directly to
\nhim.<\/p>\n
But his administration's decision to raise fuel prices by an
\naverage 126 percent has sparked anger not only among the public,
\nbut also some politicians in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
Maftuh said the President would use the opportunity provided
\nby Ramadhan to improve communication with people through
\nreligious activities.<\/p>\n
On Friday, the President will open a basic commodities bazaar
\nfor the needy at the Cilincing district offices before breaking the
\nfast with poor people at the Nurul Jihad Mosque in Kalibaru
\nsubdistrict.<\/p>\n
Next in the agenda is a visit to Banten on Oct. 17, to South
\nKalimantan on Oct. 20, when the President is slated to observe
\nthe revelation of the Koran religious festival, to Kendari in
\nSoutheast Sulawesi on Oct. 24 and to Ampenan in West Nusa
\nTenggara on Oct. 31.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/president-to-go-on-safari-during-ramadhan-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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