JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited two national media offices to have a dialog with the editors and the reporters on Friday. Driven on his private Mercedes saloon, the president arrived at the office of Seputar Indonesia daily at Kebon Sirih Tower on Kebon Sirih street in Central Jakarta at 7.40 on Friday morning.
From the office of Seputar Indonesia daily, President Yudhoyono is also scheduled to make similar visit to Republika daily on Warung Buncit street in South Jakarta later in the day after performing Friday prayer at Al Ittihad mosque on Pejaten Raya street, not far from Republika office.
Earlier on Wednesday, June 24, 2009, President Yudhoyono also visited the offices of Kompas daily and Tempo. The head of state visited Kompas office at 9.30 on Wednesday morning in the company of Minister/State Secretary Hatta Rajasa, Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi, and presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng.
But the president was not accompanied by First Lady Ani Yudhoyono then.
When the head of state arrived at the lobby of Kompas office, he was greeted by a number of workers and then posed for a photograph before proceeding to sixth floor of the office building to have a closed-door meeting with Kompas General Manager Jakob Oetama, Chief Editor Rikard Bagun, and Kompas Gramedia CEO Adi Prasetya.
After the closed-door meeting, the president took a few minutes of his time to meet a number of Kompas editors at the editorial room, before visiting Tempo Magazine later in the day. Similar activity was also made by Vice President Jusuf Kalla earlier by meeting with the members of Indonesian Television Journalist Association.
Because of the visit to the national media offices on Wednesday, the president failed to attend Road Safety National Week 2009 (PNKJ-2009) to open the event at Little Indonesian in Miniature Park (TMII) on the same day. The president was originally scheduled to open the PNKJ-2009 at Tanah Airku (my homeland) Theater in TMII but seen among the dignitaries was only Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal.
