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.