Bagus BT Saragih, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta | World | Mon, April 22 2013, 12:38 PM
State visit: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (second left) and
his wife Kristiani Herawati (right) are seated at a table for lunch with his
Singapore counterpart Tony Tan (second right) and his wife Mary Chee Monday in
Singapore. Yudhoyono will also receive an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters
from Nanyang Technological University of Singapore during his visit to the
city-state. (AP/Wong Maye-E)
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has departed to
Singapore where he will begin his five-day state visit to three ASEAN nations.
The Garuda Indonesia Boeing B737-800 carrying the President,
First Lady Ani Yudhoyono and delegates took off from Halim Perdanakusuma
International Airport in East Jakarta on Monday morning.
Among Cabinet members accompanying the President were
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto,
Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro and
Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam.
"I will attend the Indonesia-Singapore annual
Leaders’ Retreat in Singapore, then I will visit Myanmar to have a bilateral
meeting with President U Thein Sein in Nya Pyi Taw," Yudhoyono told a
press conference before departing.
From Myanmar, Yudhoyono will fly to Bandar Seri
Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, to attend the 22nd ASEAN Summit.
On the sidelines of the summit, Yudhoyono will also attend
the 9th Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area
(BIMP-EAGA) Summit and the 7th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle
(IMT-GT) Summit.
Yudhoyono said he would also receive an honorary
doctorate from Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) Rajaratnam School of
International Studies (RSIS).
In 2009, the NTU was put under the scrutiny of the
Indonesian people following the death of the Indonesian student, David Hartanto
Widjaja.
A Singaporean court declared David had committed suicide.
His family believed it was not possible for David to intentionally end his
life, saying he had displayed no signs of depression. The public outcry at that
time pushed the Indonesian government to carry out decisive action to ensure
Singapore would bring “justice and the truth.”
The visit to Myanmar, meanwhile, will come amid the
long-time sectarian violence involving the Rohingya muslims.
"The conflict involving the Rohingya has always
been in Indonesia's attention. We will ensure that the democratization process
in Myanmar is in place," Yudhoyono said.
The President and delegates are scheduled to return to
Indonesia on April 26
