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President Prabowo pays the bill for ministers' retreat: Spokesman
Presidential spokesman Hasan Nasbi issued a statement to respond to criticism that the retreat, which involved transporting all cabinet members and their deputies aboard military transport aircraft and housing them in air-conditioned-tents, could be considered wasteful spending.
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Practicing discipline: President Prabowo Subianto (front, third left) attends a warm-up session during the retreat with members of his Red and White Cabinet at the Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java, on Oct. 25. (-/Prabowo’s Media Team/Handout via Reuters)
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presidential spokesperson said on Monday that President Prabowo Subianto used his own money to pay for organizing of a mountain retreat in Central Java last week for his newly inaugurated ministers in the cabinet.
Presidential spokesman Hasan Nasbi issued the statement to respond to criticism that the retreat, which involved transporting all cabinet members and their deputies aboard military transport aircrafts and housing them in air-conditioned tents, could be considered wasteful spending.
"Pak Prabowo used his own money," Hasan was quoted by Kompas.com as saying, adding that the President had planned the retreat one month before he was inaugurated on Oct. 20.
Last week, President Prabowo took his cabinet members on a three-day retreat at a military academy nestled in Magelang, Central Java, where ministers joined a military-style training under the President's leadership.
Such an excursion is not new for Prabowo and reflects his leadership style. His Gerindra political party has often organized similar events at Prabowo's spacious Hambalang estate in West Java.
Gerindra's most recent retreat was held in September to prepare elected legislative members to be sworn in. Social media posts from the retreat show politicians posing for photographs wearing brown camouflage uniforms, maroon berets and combat boots.
Senior politician of the Gerindra Party Sufmi Dasco Ahmad has defended the military-style retreat saying that it should not be considered a waste of taxpayers money.
"There [is] more that we can consider [a] benefit and not a waste of state budget," Dasco was quoted by Kompas.com.
