Susilo cancels Mideast leg of overseas trip

Susilo cancels Mideast leg of overseas trip

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono decided on Friday to delay a
planned trip to several Middle Eastern countries amid pressing
problems at home.

"President Susilo has decided to delay the trip to several
countries in the Middles East because there are so many things
that have to be done domestically," said Presidential spokesman
Andi Malaranggeng at a press conference.

But the President would go to New York, where he would speak
at the United Nations summit next week, Andi said.

Susilo will head directly back to Jakarta after spending
around six days in the U.S.

Susilo initially planned to leave the country from Sept. 10 to
Sept. 25 for a series of state visits to Jordan, Palestine, Saudi
Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates after delivering a
speech on UN reform at the UN headquarters in New York. He will
also take a nostalgic trip to the U.S. military training center
in Fort Leavenworth (he trained there years ago).

This is not for the first time that Susilo has had to delay
planned overseas trips. He previously postponed scheduled visits
to Australia and China, and canceled a trip to Thailand.

Some lawmakers have criticized the plans because of the
pressing economic problems at home, particularly the weakened
rupiah and the severe impact of the rising international oil
prices on the state budget and people's lives.

There have also been an increasing number of calls for the
President to dismiss the current economics ministers, with some
people claiming that they are no longer capable of resolving the
economic problems. Additionally, many analysts have stated that
it was now crucial to raise fuel prices by reducing the expensive
subsidy to help ease the burden on the state budget. Both moves
would carry political risks for Susilo.

Elsewhere, Andi also said that Susilo had issued Presidential
Instruction No. 11/2005 on overseas trip procedures for
ministers, the attorney general, military commanders, police
chiefs and governors.

The instruction is issued to help ensure that overseas trips
by government officials are done in an efficient manner, with
costs considered in all expenditures.