Returning legislators play cat and mouse with journalists

Returning legislators play cat and mouse with journalists

Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Mounting public criticism over a visit by lawmakers to Egypt
appears to have taken its toll on their maturity.

A game of cat and mouse with journalists at Soekarno-Hatta
International Airport on Friday appeared to be first on the
agenda for the returning legislators.

Scheduled to touch down at 1:45 p.m, Qatar Airways Flight No.
626 from Doha via Singapore was delayed for an hour.

A staff member at the airport's VIP lounge told journalists
that state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura was to send a
bus to transport the lawmakers directly to the nearby Sheraton
Hotel, rather than to the lounge as is the normal procedure.

The journalists later split into two groups -- some waiting at
the hotel, others at an exit gate usually used only by the
airport's apron crew and restricted to the public.

With spirits low, the appearance of a blue bus heading slowly
out the apron gate at around 3:05 p.m. came as a glimmer of hope
for journalists. But, just as TV cameraman began to get footage a
man sitting in the front seat in the left row of the bus was seen
sinking down into his seat and covering his forehead as he cast
his eyes downward.

Suited up and wearing sunglasses, journalists identified him
as Choirul Sholeh Rasyid, a legislator from the National
Awakening Party (PKB).

In the right row of the bus, several women wearing headscarves
and sunglasses were also observed peering anxiously out the
window. They were believed to be the lawmakers' wives, who
reportedly accompanied them on the visit.

In one car, the journalists followed the bus. The bus changed
direction several times, turning into the parking lot of a
storage building.

With a truck between them and three minutes
stuck at a parking gate, the bus transporting the lawmakers went
out of view. The bus was however spotted once again driving back
into the airport's apron area.

Contacted by The Jakarta Post through his cellular phone,
Choirul admitted that the lawmakers were playing cat and mouse
with the journalists because they were not ready to be
interviewed.

"Yes, we were indeed trying to evade you because we weren't
ready to face journalists. But it was the secretariat staff who
commanded us to hide from the journalists," he argued.

Choirul said four lawmakers had stayed in Singapore on Friday,
but he had forgotten their names. Legislator Djoko Edhi Sucipto
had returned on Wednesday as his party, the National Mandate
Party (PAN), decided to recall him from the House of
Representatives for joining the visit along with other 14
lawmakers.

However, the latest data shows there were 24 delegates on the
Egypt trip in total, including the lawmakers' wives.

The visit, which cost US$76,170, drew harsh criticism from
fellow legislators and the public after the delegates denied the
visit would go ahead, but then left quietly for Egypt.

The admonishment increased when an itinerary for the visit
revealed the lawmakers were not traveling on state business.

Criticism of the visit continued on Friday when a
group of people from an association of Indonesian constituents
filed a report with the House's disciplinary committee,
requesting it impose sanctions on the 15 lawmakers.

Political analyst Arbi Sanit from the University of Indonesia
said other parties should follow PAN's example by recalling
legislators who were among the delegates.