Home Goverment Going Between President Merely Makes Aerial Inspection of Mudflow

President Merely Makes Aerial Inspection of Mudflow

Tuesday, 26 June 2007

(Originally published by Antara in June 26, 2007) Surabaya (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the course of his working visit to Surabaya and Sidoarjo, will only make an aerial inspection of the hot mudflow affected locations, while many of the victims were hoping to meet the head of state in person. "The President will only be making an aerial inspection of the hot mudflof affected areas, as he has already visited the evacuees in person some time ago," Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto said in Surabaya on Sunday night. The BPLS team chairman made the remarks following a closed door meeting to listen to an explanation from Sidoarjo regency chief Win Hendrarso in the presence of President Yudhoyono at the Juanda Naval Airbase from 7.30 p.m to 10.10 p.m. When leaving the meeting hall, the President promised to make a statement after listening to an explanation from the regency chief on Monday night, and from a Lapindo executive on Tuesday morning, as well as from BPLS chief Sunarso on Tuesday afternoon. Djoko Kirmanto also disclosed that the President visited Surabaya and Sidoarjo after it turned out that the handling of the mudflow victims by the BPLS had been short of expectations, such as delayed compensation payments. After the necessary data and information had been collected, he said, the head of state will hold a meeting to work out ways and means to deal with the hot mudflow the the exploration areas of Lapindo Brantas Inc. The presidential entourage included Minister of National Development Planning/Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Paskah Suzetta, Social Affairs Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah, Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar, and Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto. The other members were Communications and Information Minister Mohammad Nuh, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, Head of the National Land Agency Joyo Winoto, and Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi. The President decided to visit Surabaya and Sidoarjo ater receiving inputs from some of the mudflow victims who came to the Presidential Residence in Cikeas, Bogor, on Sunday afternoon. Comments (0) Subscribe to this comment's feed Write comment Name Email Title Comment Add Comment Copyright 2007. All Rights Reserved.