Sutiyoso meets his constituents
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso started his first day on the job yesterday, arriving at City Hall at 7:15 a.m. and walking around his new office before inspecting the deputy governors' offices.
"Have you had breakfast this morning, Sir?" asked the City Hall reporters who greeted him at the front door. "Yes, I ate two boiled eggs but no milk," Sutiyoso said. "I'm afraid of getting fat."
The 52-year-old governor then held a briefing with his new officials before accompanying the Vice President and his wife, Mrs. Tuty Try Sutrisno, on a visit to the city's welfare program in Rawaterate, Cakung, East Jakarta.
Rawaterate, home for 431 families, has been chosen as a model for cooperatives shops and other economic activities that allow women to supplement their family's earnings.
After walking around in the blazing heat looking at displays in some kiosks, the Vice President began to feel thirsty.
He approached one of the kiosks and opened a cooler, looking for a Popsicle.
"I'm really thirsty," he said. "I want something to drink."
Sutiyoso tried to find a Popsicle for the Vice President, rummaging through several coolers, but the sellers were all out of stock.
Try finally found a Popsicle at one kiosk after opening several coolers but his quick-acting staff had bought him a glass of mineral water.
The Vice President drank the mineral water, offering the Popsicle to Sutiyoso and other high-ranking officials, including Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication Joop Ave, Minister of Cooperatives and Small Enterprises Subijakto Tjakrawerdaya and Minister of Social Services Inten Soeweno.
"But I still want this," he joked.
"As you have a higher rank, you'd better enjoy it ...," Sutiyoso replied, with the crowd laughing in appreciation.
The visit to densely populated Rawaterate lasted until about 11 a.m. But before the closing ceremony, Mrs. Tuty Try Sutrisno bought mangoes from one of the kiosks and told her assistant to put them in the car.
"I want to serve mangoes at home," she said. (07)