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.