Vice President Kalla goes home in style
Vice President Kalla goes home in style
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's call for a moderate and
simple lifestyle seems to have fallen on deaf ears in the case of
Vice President Jusuf Kalla and several Cabinet ministers.
On Friday, just when Susilo was away attending the annual
meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Chile,
Jusuf Kalla, along with Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf,
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin and State
Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Sugiharto, went to Makassar,
South Sulawesi using two aircraft.
One of the aircraft was paid for by the state, while the other
belonged to Kalla himself. Kalla is a successful businessman from
Makassar.
Kalla, wife Mufidah Kalla, three of their children and several
grandchildren, the three Cabinet members, People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) deputy speaker A.M. Fatwa, Regional
Representatives Council (DPD) deputy speaker Aksa Mahmud,
legislators Ali Mochtar Ngabalin and Rafiuddin Hamarung, as well
as former minister Tanri Abeng, took the aircraft provided by the
state.
The rest of the entourage, including two more of his children,
grandchildren, in-laws and baby sitter used Kalla's private
Fokker 28 named Athirah.
Upon arrival in Makassar, the Vice President led Friday
prayers at the Al Markas Mosque, and then paid a visit to his
parents' grave at Bontoala.
Kalla's entourage caused a massive traffic jam in Makassar
with police stopping vehicles in order to allow his large
motorcade to pass.
Such a lavish home-coming was in stark contrast to the lot of
millions of Idul Fitri travelers, who had to wait for hours, even
days, in order to cram into overloaded buses or trains to go home
for the post-fasting festivities.
It also came just weeks after Susilo, who took his oath of
office last Oct. 20, told his Cabinet ministers and other high-
ranking officials to lead moderate lives, keeping in mind the
severe economic difficulties that have plagued the country since
1997.
However, deputy chairman of the Corruption Eradication
Commission (KPK), Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas, said Friday that as
long as Kalla did not abuse state facilities for his own benefit
then there was nothing wrong with the trip.
"If he went there for personal business reasons with no state
functions, then using state facilities would be wrong," Erry told
The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Kalla is scheduled to attend meetings of Makassar traders, and
with the South Sulawesi brotherhood forum. He is also slated to
attend a reunion of his alumnus at the economics faculty of
Hassanuddin University.
When asked about President Susilo's call for state officials
to be thrifty, Erry said: "As Vice President, I believe Kalla
knows what that means."
In a meeting with KPK members earlier this month, Susilo said
that state officials must set an example of a simple lifestyle in
order to avoid corruption.
Susilo has vowed to lead the country's fight against rampant
corruption practices that have been blamed for Indonesia's
prolonged economic difficulties.