Indonesia
A Day with the President
The president of the Republic of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), became the host for the program “A Day with the President”, on Friday, the 23rd of August 2013. The participants were primary, junior and senior high school students from Aceh Tamiang, Papua, Prabumulih, Bali, Jakarta, Sinjai, Bandung, Kapuas, Yogyakarta, Ambon, and Ponorogo. For that whole day, all the students get to watch live the daily activities of the busy President.
The event started early in the morning, at 05.00 am, with the participants doing sports. The president was accompanied by his wife Ani Yudhoyono, and together with the participants they jog around the Residential Palace and Istana Merdeka, which is located in the same residential area, in Medan Merdeka Utara, Jakarta. The sport was continued by a tree-planting program in the back garden of Istana Merdeka. Afterwards, the participants rest in the middle garden of the residential. While leisurely sitting, the President chatted in a friendly manner with the students. He then called the Paspampres Group A commander to demonstrate the proper way to do push-up to the kids.
Agil Alfarizi, a student from SDIT Islahul Ummah Prabumulih, admitted he never imagined he would be talking that privately with the President. “I usually only see him in the TV or in the newspaper, and now I got the see him live! That’s something for me,” he said. “All this time I thought the president is like a king, free to do anything. If he wants this, he will get it straight away. But it doesn’t actually work like that. The president also has some rules to follow,” he explained, amazed.
After the sports session, the students witnessed the briefing routine about the latest issues and newss, nationally and internationally, in the round table of Istana Negara. In fact, they were invited to accompany the president to sign some papers that are confidential. The students were free to listen to a whole conversation between the President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marty Natalegawa, which is currently in Canada. The conversation revolved around the issues in Egypt, Syria, Palestine and Israel.
After the phone call with Marty, the president was accompanied by the First Secretary, Sudi Silalahi, to contact the Indonesian Ambassador for Russia, Djauhari Oratmangunto discuss the G20 meeting preparation in September. “Kids, pray that you will be able to join me in this important seat,” encouraged the President to the amused students.
The program “A Day with the President” can be joined by the whole nation’s kids, from any provinces. The only requirement is for you to fill a form from the official site Sehari Bersama Presiden SBY and send a positive comment to the Facebook page SBYudhoyono. The comment can be about your hopes for the country, or some suggestions, that you would like to tell to the president when you meet him. You will also be asked to tell the plans you’d like to do when you will meet the president. And additional requirement is for the participants to click on the ‘Like’ button on the president’s fan page, SBYudhoyono and follow his Twitter account, @SBYudhoyono.
12 chosen kids will join the president for the whole 24 hours. “The program aimed to help kids understand the duties and responsibilities a president have every day. My hope is that they would be motivated to become the next president of this country,” explained Mr. Yudhoyono.
HAFIDA INDRAWATI
PHOTOS: PRESIDENTIAL HOUSEHOLD
