SBY's napping ban still stands

Desy Nurhayati ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 05/07/2008 9:39 AM  |  National

National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) chief Paskah Suzetta could breathe a sigh of relief Tuesday as a gathering he hosted got off to a smooth start -- with no presidential complaints about snoozing participants.

The board's officials, who are organizing the May 6-9 forum, learned a lot from the embarrassing incident at the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) last month, when President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono paused during his speech to rouse a regional official who had apparently dozed off.

The President went so far as to ask the Institute not to pass the official for failing to live up to his leadership standards, which included the ability to withstand sleepiness.

To ensure no repeats of the President's rebuke, Bappenas displayed a warning on the large screens on either side of the stage where the President would deliver his speech, just an hour before the opening ceremony at the Bidakara Hotel in South Jakarta.

"During the President's address, participants and guests are not allowed to sleep, talk to each other or switch on their cell phones," read the reminder.

But apparently the warning was not enough.

Yudhoyono himself reminded the participating governors, regents and mayors from across the country to focus on the four-day event.

"I know you may be physically tired, but please don't fall asleep. Even if you start to nod off, you have to wake yourself quickly because the people you lead want you to return home with a special gift, which is a better development program," the President said, to general applause from the floor.

The local leaders have gathered for the annual meeting to discuss national development planning for 2009. The conference focuses on improving living standards and alleviating poverty.

Despite the warnings, more than one phone rang and several officials were seen closing their eyes during the President's speech.

If the President had noticed these defiant few, his rage would have far exceeded the anger that marked the forum at Lemhannas.

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