SBY caught between practicality, mysticism

SBY caught between practicality, mysticism

Rendi A. Witular and Slamet Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Yogyakarta

Having once served as a full-time Presidential residence, the
Gedung Agung Presidential Palace in Yogyakarta witnessed another
historic moment on Monday when for the first time in Indonesia's
history, the president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, announced a
limited Cabinet shakeup outside the capital.

Susilo drafted and announced the changes on Monday at the
building -- which once served as the residence of founding
President Sukarno between 1946 and 1949 -- after calling Vice
President Jusuf Kalla to join him in the afternoon.

Kalla's public relations advisor, Muchlis Hasyim, said the
Vice President previously had no plans to fly to Yogyakarta.

"Pak Susilo called Pak Kalla three times, insisting the latter
meet with him in Yogyakarta ... The Vice President had previously
planned to go home early as he didn't feel well," Muchlis said.

Susilo had earlier been expected to announce the changes soon
after his ministers submitted their performance appraisals in
October. Speculation has been rife that the cause of the delay
has been a tug-of-war between the country's two top leaders over
the makeup of the Cabinet's economic team.

But Susilo's decision to make the announcement in Yogyakarta
has raised many eyebrows. Many believe it was merely for
practical reasons due to his itinerary, which included a keynote
speech at the opening of the second International Junior Science
Olympiad (IJSO) for junior high students earlier in the day.

As he is expected to attend a ceremony at the Military Academy
in Magelang, Central Java -- some 50 kilometers north of
Yogyakarta -- on Tuesday morning, it would be impractical for the
President to fly back to Jakarta.

"It would be a waste of time and money if I were to return to
Jakarta just to announce the reshuffle and then go to Magelang
the next day," Susilo said in his speech.

Gedung Agung itself is no stranger to the country's historical
events. Apart from serving as the presidential residence for a
time, the palace also witnessed the inauguration of the country's
first military commander, Gen. Sudirman, in 1947. It has also
served as the venue for the Independence Day commemorations,
every Aug. 17.

But aside from the practicality and the historical records,
many also believe that the announcement in Yogyakarta was based
on Susilo's attempt to seek "good luck" in his tenure with the
new ministers as Yogyakarta, being the seat of the Javanese
kingdom for centuries, is seen as a sacred place.

Susilo denied that his choice of Yogyakarta had anything to do
with mysticism.

"The announcement has nothing to do with mysticism," he
remarked. "I am a devout Muslim. Don't mislead the public about
such issues."