Susilo to take leave for family wedding
Susilo to take leave for family wedding
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
As his firstborn son will be married this week, President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono has taken three days off, starting Thursday, to
oversee wedding preparations.
First Lt. Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, 27, will marry model and
television host Annisa Larasati Pohan, 24, the daughter of former
Bank Indonesia deputy governor Aulia Pohan.
Leave of absence for an Indonesian president for private
matters is not regulated, other than if time off has been
requested due to political commitments in the campaign period
prior to an election.
Agus and Annisa will exchange vows on Friday after prayers at
Aulia's house in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.
Traditional Javanese ceremonies will be held the day before at
Susilo's private residence in Cikeas, near Bogor and at Aulia's
house.
The reception will be held on Saturday night at the Bogor
Palace, which has 28 hectares of grounds.
Presidential Spokesman Andi Mallarangeng said the wedding
would not be an extravagant affair.
"Everything has been calculated, and will be covered by the
presidential household budget. But the President has done some
cost cutting so that it will not burden the state budget," Andi
said.
Nevertheless, judging by preparations, it will not be a modest
event either.
The wedding dresses, for instance, were designed by Adjie
Notonegoro, a favorite designer among celebrities, whose dresses
can cost over Rp 100 million (around US$10,500).
In charge of documentation, meanwhile, is director Garin
Nugroho, known for his art-house films.
The eldest of two sons, Agus was the top graduate from the
2000 class of the Military Academy, and now serves in Karawang,
West Java. Susilo was named the top graduate of the academy in
1973.
Agus first met Annisa in Bandung, West Java, when she was
studying at Padjadjaran University.
Annisa is a celebrity in her own right. She once won a
modeling contest sponsored by a shampoo company and currently
hosts a sports show aired by private TV station.