Susilo cancels Mideast leg of overseas trip<\/p>\n
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono decided on Friday to delay a
\nplanned trip to several Middle Eastern countries amid pressing
\nproblems at home.<\/p>\n
\"President Susilo has decided to delay the trip to several
\ncountries in the Middles East because there are so many things
\nthat have to be done domestically,\" said Presidential spokesman
\nAndi Malaranggeng at a press conference.<\/p>\n
But the President would go to New York, where he would speak
\nat the United Nations summit next week, Andi said.<\/p>\n
Susilo will head directly back to Jakarta after spending
\naround six days in the U.S.<\/p>\n
Susilo initially planned to leave the country from Sept. 10 to
\nSept. 25 for a series of state visits to Jordan, Palestine, Saudi
\nArabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates after delivering a
\nspeech on UN reform at the UN headquarters in New York. He will
\nalso take a nostalgic trip to the U.S. military training center
\nin Fort Leavenworth (he trained there years ago).<\/p>\n
This is not for the first time that Susilo has had to delay
\nplanned overseas trips. He previously postponed scheduled visits
\nto Australia and China, and canceled a trip to Thailand.<\/p>\n
Some lawmakers have criticized the plans because of the
\npressing economic problems at home, particularly the weakened
\nrupiah and the severe impact of the rising international oil
\nprices on the state budget and people's lives.<\/p>\n
There have also been an increasing number of calls for the
\nPresident to dismiss the current economics ministers, with some
\npeople claiming that they are no longer capable of resolving the
\neconomic problems. Additionally, many analysts have stated that
\nit was now crucial to raise fuel prices by reducing the expensive
\nsubsidy to help ease the burden on the state budget. Both moves
\nwould carry political risks for Susilo.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Andi also said that Susilo had issued Presidential
\nInstruction No. 11\/2005 on overseas trip procedures for
\nministers, the attorney general, military commanders, police
\nchiefs and governors.<\/p>\n
The instruction is issued to help ensure that overseas trips
\nby government officials are done in an efficient manner, with
\ncosts considered in all expenditures.<\/p>",
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