Fadli and Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Batam, Medan | Sat, 08/08/2009 1:34 PM
The defeat of Vice President Jusuf Kalla in last month's presidential election has apparently dealt him a blow, in completing his state duties without support from Cabinet ministers.
Kalla and his running mate Wiranto lost in the election to the pairing of incumbent President Susilo Bambang and former Bank Indonesia governor Boediono.
Despite the defeat, however, Kalla must still conclude his state duties as deputy to Yudhoyono, until their five-year term in office ends on Oct. 20, 2009.
However, the election loss seems to have left Kalla with less support from ministers currently under full control of the incumbent President.
During his official visit on Friday to Batam in Riau Islands province, and Medan in North Sumatra, Kalla was not accompanied by any members of the Cabinet.
Before the July 8 presidential election, at least one or two ministers joined the Vice President's entourage during his regional visits.
The Yudhoyono-Boediono pair has been officially confirmed as the election winners by the General Elections Commission (KPU). However, Yudhoyono's victory is being legally challenged - by Kalla and his running mate Wiranto, and Megawati Soekarnoputri and her running mate Prabowo Subianto - through the Constitutional Court.
The losers claim vote rigging and fraud helped Yudhoyono win a landslide in the election, and are seeking a second round.
While trials are underway at the Constitutional Court over election disputes, Yudhoyono is busy choosing new Cabinet members.
Kalla, meanwhile, has begun to lose political ground in the current government.
His election defeat may also force him to surrender his top post in the Golkar Party during its upcoming national congress.
During his official visit to Batam on Friday, Kalla inspected low-cost apartment construction project of the Public Works Ministry.
However, neither Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto nor any other Cabinet members came along with Kalla, unlike during the previous official vice presidential trips.
Kalla was only accompanied by Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) chairman Sofyan Wanandi who was part of his election campaign team, as well as Riau Islands Governor Ismeth Abdullah and several top officials in Batam.
No banners erected to welcome the Vice President to the areas he visited in Sekupang and Muka Kuning in Batam. A security guard and reception for Kalla were similarly far modest compared to his previous visits before the presidential election. The entrance gate to the apartment complex had no metal detector installed. Presidential guards only imposed manual checks of guests and journalist attending the event.
A similar blow was received by Kalla during his official visit to Medan earlier in the day.
Not a single Cabinet minister joined Kalla in Medan to inspect the Kuala Namu Airport project in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra.
Only senior local officials and airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II president director Edy Haryoto accompanied the Vice President during the site inspection.
It was Kalla's third official visit to Kuala Namu as Vice President. During his two previous visits, Transportation Minister Jusman Syafi'i Djamal and several other ministers were among his entourage.
Kalla said Friday he was confident that the new airport would be up and running next year to replace Polonia International Airport in Medan.
Kalla said he was "satisfied" with the progress of the project, despite the increase in funds allocated for it.
