Palace Clarifies President Jokowi Pays for His Family’s Expenses

President Jokowi and First Lady Iriana Jokowi leave Ankara, Turkey, to Hamburg, Germany, on Thursday (6/7) afternoon local time (Photo: PR/Rahmat)

Head of Press, Media, and Information Bureau, Secretariat of the President, Bey Machmudin, delivered a clarification on the participation of five members of President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo’s family, consisting of two sons, one daughter, one daughter-in-law, and one grand son, in a state visit to Turkey and Germany, from 5-9 July 2017.

According to Bey, ahead of the visit, the President has given a direction to the Acting of the Head of Secretariat of the President Winata Supriatna, at the Merdeka Palace, last Monday (3/7).“The President asserted that all expenses and accommodation of the President’s family members in the visit paid by the President,” Bey said in his press release on Sunday (9/7).

Bey explained that during the flight, the family members sat in a compartment that is usually used by the President and the First Lady. So, the number of the President’s official group was not reduced because of the President’s family members.

Bey also quoted the clarification of Minister of State Secretary Pratikno that since the beggining of his administration, President Jokowi has ordered all to be efficient in using the state budget including in the President’s working visit. “The President’s order is very clear and firm. It should be effective and efficient. No need to rent an airplane even though for a trip to the US. The advance team is reduced and the number of delegation’s members is limited in accordance with the airplane’s capacity,” Pratikno said.

In fact, Pratikno added, for a long trip, such as to the US, the Government can afford to pay the rental costs of a wide-body aircraft of Garuda Airline. However, since it is really expensive, the President prefers to use the Presidential Airplane Indonesia-1, even though it takes longer time.“It needs to transit a few time in flight to the US to refueling, but the President is okay with it. It shows that the President is consistent with his order to be efficient in using the state budget,” Pratikno said as quoted by Bey.

In presidential insitution, the Minister has also made an efficiency by reducing the members of the advance team, for working visits inside the country or abroad. “The number of the advance team abroad is reduced by 40 percent. It is better to more optimize the role of Indonesian Embassies,” Pratikno said. The number of delegation is also reduced in accordance with the capacity of the presidential airplane. The total is only 42 people for a state visit. “It is not only for the main delegation. It includes other officials,” the Minister said.

Therefore, Bey Machmudin added, although the President brought his family in the visit to Turkey and Germany, it does not burden the state budget.(ES)(MMB/YM/Naster)