Jakarta. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has filed a two-day leave request to enable him to campaign for the Democratic Party and support his son Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono’s bid for regional office.
“[Yudhoyono] has submitted leave for two days,” State Palace spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said, as quoted by Indonesian news portal Tribunnews.com.
Yudhoyono, who is also the Democratic Party chairman, will be absent on leave on March 17 and 18, Julian said.
Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam said the business of state would not be affected.
“As far as I know, [Yudhoyono has requested leave] according to procedure,” Dipo said. “But he will prioritize his tasks as the President of Indonesia as usual.”
It has been reported that Yudhoyono will focus his campaigning in Magelang, Central Java and Bantul, Yogyakarta.
He will also campaign for his youngest son Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono, popularly known as Ibas, in East Java, covering the constituencies of Magetan, Ngawi, Ponorogo, Trenggalek and the president’s seaside hometown of Pacitan.
University of Indonesia academic Ari Junaedi said he saw nothing unacceptable in principle about Yudhoyono campaigning for the party he founded in 2001. However, the level of cost to the public purse should be kept to a minimum, which for Ari would mean no pressing of the flesh for Yudhoyono.
“Remember, SBY is the president and the head of state,” Ari said as quoted by news portal Okezone.com. ”How much of state budget is going to be spent on his security?”
“It’s better if SBY just sits nicely and fully concentrates on finishing his term as a president instead of campaigning again,” he said.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) has announced the official campaign period from March 16 to April 5, ahead of the April 9 legislative elections.
Source/Fuente: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/sby-files-leave-hit-ibas-campaign-tr...
