President to present saplings as Christmas gift

Antara News, Tuesday, December 22, 2009 21:00 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will give saplings as his Christmas present to the Christian community on the occasion of a Christmas celebration on December 27, the event`s chief organizer said.

"President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will symbolically present a coconut tree sapling to a child at the Christmas celebration at the Jakarta Convention Hall on December 27," the chief organizer of the celebration, EE Mangindaan, told newsmen here on Tuesday.

Mangindaan who is state minister for administrative reform said Indonesia is now facing various problems from economic and financial problems to education and social welfare.

The national committee however would only focus on efforts to appeal to people to participate in environmental preservation efforts to reduce pollution, he said.

"Therefore, the decorations later will be dominated by green color to make it a `Green Christmas` and not a `White Christmas", he said jokingly.

He said the event would also be attended by First Lady Mrs Ani Yudhoyono, Vice President Boediono and Mrs Herawati Boediono, cabinet ministers and other high-ranking officials.

Around six thousand people from various cities such as Merauke in Papua, Maumere in East Nusa Tenggara and Toraja, South Sulawesi would attend the celebration.

He was optimistic the event would run well, especially because the organizing committee`s vice chairman was Major General Darpito who is the commander of the Jakarta Military Command.

Regarding the cost of the celebration, Mangindaan said with a smile that the committee`s burden was small because it had received many contributions such as buses for transporting participants and for shows while some participants would pay their own travel costs.

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