SBY vs Kalla on Boediono

President candidate Jusuf Kalla disclosed yesterday of how he was so angry at Boediono (then coordinating minister for the economy) on government guarantee for 10,000 MW project. Incumbent president SBY called Kalla's statement unethical.

Well, this is not the first time president an vice president, who are competing in July 8 election, attacking each other. Few weeks ago, Kalla also disclosed in detail his role in the Aceh peace process. SBY's team also considered Kalla unethical.

"When suggestion from a minister disclosed to public, that's unethical, this is internal affair. One can't use that (internal) dynamic to say something bad," SBY said in a campaign in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan.

Interestingly, Kalla was also in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan on Saturday. "The peak of my anger on Boediono was when he declined to provide government guarantee for 10,000 MW project. Why I was so mad at him? Because, this is my opinion, that's how liberal thoughts at work (rejecting the guarantee)," Kalla said.

"I don't understand why we can provide 100% guarantee for banking investors, but we can't provide the same guarantee for a project for people who desperately need electricity," Kalla explained.

But Boediono defended his position saying "my main concern was to make sure the financing is accountable."

This is the second most significant attack from Kalla to SBY-Boediono camp after the Aceh issue. Talking about bad-mouthing each other, both teams scored quite equally, just before SBY and Kalla finally "divorced" after four years and four months of "marriage".

Tension between the two camps intensified over the alleged black campaign on Boediono's wife. Someone has been arrested from a Kalla-Wiranto campaign for distributing leaflet with an article published by Monitor Indonesia about Herawati, Boediono's wife. The article raised question about Herawati of being a Catholic.

According to Yuddy Crisnandy from Kalla-Wiranto team, based on police examination, the arrested guy, Adi Zein Ginting, admitted he is a supporter of SBY-Boediono and that he was ordered by Abdul Wahad Dalimunthe from SBY-Boediono team to distribute the leaflet contained an article published by Monitor Indonesia titled "Does PKS know that Boediono's wife is a Catholic?. SBY-Boediono team initially alleged Kalla-Wiranto of black campaign, while Kalla said that was a trap for his team. "This is clearly a trap for us," Kalla said today. 

Is Herawati a Catholic?

Boediono had actually said "We're born as Moslems, and keep implementing its values." Other than that, Herawati was seen praying with other Moslems at Darussalam Mosque in Yasmin, Bogor last week. Herawati is quoted by Demokrat Party's website that "Those who said I'm a Catholic are totally wrong." So, she is a Moslem. Djali Yusuf, a retired general who is also head of SBY-Boediono task force clarified the issue on Saturday saying, "Boediono's wife is a Moslem, no doubt about that."

The issue is a hot debate within Prosperous Justice Party (PKS). The party even plans to file lawsuit on the issue. 

PKS president Tifatul Sembiring said Herawati Boediono is a Moslem. "She even took lessons from PKS cadre at Rasamala Street, Jakarta. They were married under Islamic law and process," Sembiring testified.
Others discussed, "what's wrong if Boediono's wife is a Catholic?" in this link. Well, SBY's wife was also considered a Christian in 2004 election, but SBY won. 

Unfortunately for the country, whoever gets benefit from raising the issue, shall remember way too many issues out there need serious attention. The religious issue has consumed lots of our energy and leaving no room for serious talks on other issues. The issue is a clear evidence of how elites in the country are busy to defend or to get power in their hands and completely ignore what people actually need. We barely saw them discuss throughly of how they would trim the worsening inequality, degradation of mentality, and poor public service on education, health care, and infrastructure.

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