Obama's RI relatives attend inauguration

Lilian Budianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 01/08/2009 10:36 AM  

US president-elect Barack Obama's Indonesian step-cousin is among a number of other Indonesians invited to witness Obama's historical inauguration on Jan. 20 in Washington D.C. 

Yana Trisulo, a niece of Obama's Indonesian step-father Lolo Soetoro, said her husband and one of her cousins would be family guests at the ceremony that will make Obama the first black US president. Yana's mother was Lolo's sister. 

"I was supposed to attend the inauguration together with my father (in-law, Lolo) but I don't think we can make it now as he (my father) is not in a good health. And so I have asked my husband and another cousin to attend it," Yana told The Jakarta Post via text message Wednesday. 

Obama, who was known as Barry during his five-year stay in Jakarta, moved to the Muslim-majority country in 1967 after his mother Ann Dunham married Lolo. Ann later gave birth to a daughter named Maya Soetoro-Ng. 

Barry enrolled in Fransiskus Asisi Catholic School, Central Jakarta, before attending state primary school SDN Menteng 01 in the same area as a third grader. 

Local actress Ayu Azhari will also attend the inauguration. 

"On Jan. 17, Ayu will go to the United States because she received an invitation," Ayu's lawyer Secarpiandy told Warta Kota daily Tuesday. 

Ayu's husband, Mike Tramp, a member of the US-based White Lion musical group, has close ties to the people organizing Obama's inauguration. 

Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said neither President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono nor Vice President Jusuf Kalla would attend Obama's inauguration. 

"But our ambassador to the United States Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat will represent the Indonesian government at the event," Dino said. 

AP reported that Obama's Kenyan step-grandmother Sarah Obama would join representatives from the Kenyan government, African Union and African diplomats at an unofficial inaugural ball in Washington on Jan. 20. 

Obama was born in Hawaii to a Kenyan father who was at the time studying at the same university as Ann Dunham. 

Diplomats and experts are hoping Obama's childhood experience in Indonesia will promote better relations between the two countries after a period of turbulence under the rein of George W. Bush. 

Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said in his annual speech Tuesday that the Indonesian government hoped to receive Obama around November as Obama would then be in the region to attend the APEC meeting in Singapore. 

Hassan also said there was a good chance Obama would visit Indonesia before April. 

"The New York Times recently reported that Obama would visit one of the biggest Muslim countries during his first 100 days in office. Indonesia is the best choice among all other countries. And we hope it can happen," Hassan said. 

Obama spoke for five minutes on the phone with President Yudhoyono in late November after Yudhoyono had attended the APEC summit in Peru. Yudhoyono said he had invited Obama to visit Indonesia and that Obama had responded by saying "visiting Indonesia is very important".

Obama's Indonesian former schoolmates said they had planned to throw a party to celebrate Barry's victorious day, but added that it would only be held to convey a message to the US about the Gaza crisis. 

"We are aware that Obama has yet to comment on the Israel offensive, which has triggered much anger and protests here. It would be good if his inauguration served as a moment for us to convey a message about what Indonesian people have been thinking about," said Made Donny Waspada, one of Obama's former schoolmates.