JAKARTA, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono conveyed his deepest condolence to the passing away of Chairman of the Indonesian People Consultative Assembly Taufik Kiemas on Saturday night and called on people to hoist the national flags at half-staff for two days to mourn him.
In a televised speech to the nation, President Yudhoyono said that all institutions had been prepared to anticipate the worst as he and his subordinates have established intense communication with Taufik's families while he was treated in a Singaporean hospital. "The system runs immediately soon after we heard the passing of Pak Taufik. There will be two air forces' planes, C 130 Hercules and Boeing 737, departing for Singapore to pick up Pak Taufik and his family. They are expected to arrive here at 9.30 (Sunday) in the morning," the president said in the speech.
He said that he would receive the body of Taufik Kiemas on the entourage arrival at the airport and to preside over the official burial ceremony in Kalibata national heroes cemetery.
"I called on all people in Indonesia to hoist national (flags) at half-staff in two days to show our love and respect to Pak Taufik, one of our statesmen," the president said.
Taufik Kiemas, also husband of former Indonesian president Megtawati Soekarnoputri and chairwoman of Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), was known as a steadfast nationalist politician, highly respected for his skills to find political solutions to national politics impasse that could threaten the country's sustainability.
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