However, due to the security precautions the palace security force (Paspampres) is duty-bound to take or observe , it is not always easy for ordinary Indonesians in places he is visiting to come physically close to him.
Yudhoyono seems to be aware of this dilemma as revealed in his remarks at a function to mark the Paspampres` service day in Bojongnangka village, in the Gunung Putri area of Bogor district, West Java, on Friday.
At the function, the head of state said he did not want to be guarded too tightly by security personnel so that he would have more freedom to interact with the people.
"I, personally, want security for me not to be ensured too tightly." With less tight security, he said, he could get closer to the people when making working visits to various parts of the country, including shaking hands and taking pictures with them.
President Yudhoyono said he was also unhappy when all roads through which he passes in a convoy of cars were closed. Instead, he wanted the public to remain able to pass the roads along with his convoy.
What he wanted, he said, was a challenge for all members of the Paspampres. Therefore, he demanded that they be more flexible yet remain able to ensure the president`s safety.
Apart from his demand, he did understand about the Paspampres` working procedures for minimizing any failure, President Yudhoyono said.
What the head of state conveyed about the Paspampres` security procedures that might have hampered his will to get more freedom to interact with the people in places he was visiting could be understood by considering the nature of security threats that he possibly faced.
Yudhoyono himself had publicly revealed on ssveral occasions that he had become the target of a terrorist group in the country.
In a press briefing on July 17, 2009, for instance, the head of state conveyed that terrorists were being trained by using the picture of his face as their target shootings.
He again revealed the terrorists` threats to himself when visiting the Paspampres headquarters in Jakarta on January 22, 2010 and Ciwidey, Bandung district, West Java province, in August 2010.
As a result, the Paspampres has exercised maximum security for the president and first lady.
Actually, the maximum security for the president and his family members had been made public by one of the president`s spokespersons in Gunung Sitoli, Nias island, North Sumatra, on December 25, 2005.
At that time, Andi Mallarangeng, who was still the palace`s spokesman, told journalists on the sideline of President Yudhoyono`s short visit to Gunung Sitoli for attending a Christmas ceremony that such threats as assassination and terrorist attack were the main reasons for providing the president with maximum security.
"Of course, the Paspampres as a professional unit will be safeguarding the head of state and his family. The Paspampres has even had its own permanent security procedures," he said.
For this purpose, Andi Mallarangeng at that time urged the public to understand if President Yudhoyono was not so free to show his good habits, such as welcoming the people`s offers to shake hands or waved at the crowds from his car with an open glass window in his visits.
However, the president now wanted this maximum security to be relaxed a bit to enable him to get closer to his people.
In response to President Yudhoyono`s want, a Kompas Online`s reader named Alit Ida Bagus Nyoman reminded the head of state of not making his remark be just for an image building.
"Don`t just make it be an image building. A president deserves a maximum security from his guards because we have never known what`s in the people`s minds."
"There are those who want the president to get bombed (killed), and there are also those who do love him. Thanks to members of the Paspampres for their good job," said Alit when commenting on Kompas` news item titled "SBY Ingin Pengamanan Presiden Tak Ketat" (SBY Wants Less Tight Security). (*)
Reporter: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
