A long weekend means leisure for most, but not for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who could likely face off in the upcoming presidential election.
Although both said they were committed to working together until the end of their term on Oct. 20, neither has pledged they would not start their competition yet.
Over the weekend, the country’s top two officials left Jakarta and headed to different regions: Yudhoyono went east to Central Java, while Kalla went west to Lampung, Bengkulu, Bangka Belitung and West Kalimantan.
Critics see this as part of their campaign trail.
Yudhoyono’s three-day “working visit” to Central Java came only two weeks after a visit to Aceh in late February and Lampung last week.
In Central Java, the President, accompanied by several Cabinet ministers, inaugurated a number of infrastructure and construction projects, as well as a market and an Islamic foundation building.
After landing at Adi Soemarmo International Airport in Surakarta on Saturday, Yudhoyono inaugurated a new terminal and service unit for Indonesian migrant workers.
He then signed off on eight infrastructure projects, including the constructions of a dam, a tap water system and apartment blocks for lower-income residents.
From Surakarta, the President and his entourage headed to Sukoharjo, where he inaugurated a factory expansion for local textile manufacturer PT Sritex.
On Sunday, the President was in Karanganyar regency, where he visited a Health Ministry research and development facility for traditional medicines, and inaugurated the Tawangmangu Tourism Market.
He then returned to Surakarta, where he inaugurated a building belonging to the Islamic foundation Majelis Tafsir Alquran and asked the thousands in attendance to rise in a jihad (holy war) against corruption.
Yudhoyono returned to Jakarta on Monday.
Later this week, he will set off on a working visit to other regions.
While neither Yudhoyono’s hectic official schedules nor his remarks during the Central Java visit clearly confirmed his campaign bid, Vice President Jusuf Kalla was far more blatant about his intentions.
Kalla spoke loudly about his "better capacity" over Yudhoyono to lead the country, during his visits to Golkar Party branches in the four provinces.
He also confirmed his seriousness for the presidency when he officially closed Muhammadiyah’s Tanwir meeting in Bandar Lampung on Sunday, which Yudhoyono had opened earlier last week.
“On many occasions I like cracking jokes, but when it comes to managing the country, I always talk with all my heart,” Kalla told the gathering, also attended by Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin.
“I started as a minister, then coordinating minister and am now vice president. I have built mosques, schools and settled conflicts, but for further development of the country, I am ready for a presidential bid.”
He added the current administration had done well, but could perform better with Golkar at the helm.
Kalla campaign team member Burhanuddin Napitupulu said the Vice President "made decisions more effectively and more quickly".
Golkar launched new television ads picturing Kalla as a hard worker, rolling up his sleeves and ready to work. Close Kalla aide Muchlis Hasyim said Monday Kalla would spend most weekends outside Jakarta to "consolidate" party support for his presidential bid.
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|