Susilo-Kalla barred from palace ceremony

Susilo-Kalla barred from palace ceremony

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Vice presidential candidate Jusuf
Kalla expressed regret on Sunday that he and his presidential
running mate, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, had been barred from
attending the Independence Day celebration at the State Palace.

He recalled that both he and Susilo had been invited by the
State Secretariat to attend the grand ceremony, but suddenly the
invitations for both were withdrawn on Friday.

Kalla said in Mataram that he and Susilo, the rivals of
President Megawati and her running mate, Hasyim Muzadi, in the
upcoming runoff election, should have been allowed to attend the
ceremony given that they had served the country as ministers. --
Antara