Malang residents told to hoist flags in SBY absence

Malang municipal administration has required all households across the East Java city to hoist the national flag during the visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono next week.

The President will be in the city for two days on Monday and Tuesday to, among other things, open the National Football Congress, but the residents have been asked to lower the flags only on Thursday.  

“The flag hoisting is just an expression of our respect for the President who has chosen the city as the host of the football congress,” Joko Yuwono, senior local government official in charge of socio-political affairs, told Antara on Saturday.

Local people are also asked to decorate their neighborhoods with colorful banners to welcome the President and his entourage.

Municipal administration spokesman M. Yusuf said the President was slated to open the football congress on Monday at Ken Arok Sports Hall.

Yusuf said the President would also queue for a ticket to watch league leader Arema Indonesia host Persitara of North Jakarta later in the day.

”Organizers of the congress have booked 700 tickets for themselves and the President’s entourage, but Pak SBY is said to buy his ticket from the booth like other soccer fans,” Yusuf said.