The presentation of the title was done during the dedication by the President of Batak Museum in Balige, Toba Samosir, North Sumatra.
The title is the highest honorary title of the ethnic group of Batak Mandailing which also means "His Excellency". The presentation of the title was accompanied by the extension of Batak name Siregar to make the name the President to be Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Siregar.
First Lady Any Yudhoyono meanwhile was given a title of Naduma Harungguan Hasayangan which the honorary title for a consort of the king and also a Batak name of Pohan to make her complete name Ani Bambang Yudhoyono Pohan.
The ceremony of the title presentation was started with the extension of traditional costumes to the President and the First Lady.
Each of the sub-ethnic group of Batak gave clothes, weapons and other equipment to the President and Mrs Ani Yudhoyono. The sub-ethnic groups are Toba, Karo, Simalungun, Mandailing, Pakpak Dairi and Angkola.
President Yudhoyono and Mrs Ani Yudhoyono accepted the gifts one by one with a smile.
A legislator meanwhile had questioned the government`s stance with regard to the presentation of "the Batak King" title after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had earlier criticized the monarchy of Yogyakarta.
Paskalis Kossay of the Golkar Party faction in a discussion here on Tuesday said "the stance will confuse the public."
The coordinator of the Papua National Coalition in the Indonesian parliament and also member of House of Representatives Defense, Foreign Affairs and Information Commission I said in the midst of declining public trust on his leadership it was inappropriate for him to still be willing to accept the Batak King title.
"What is the advantage? This will only draw reactions as if the President and his team seemed to only seek political image building by doing that," he said.
He said what the government did today was against its stance towards Yogyakarta.
"He said a monarchic system is not in line with a system of republic which is democratic. But the fact is he had accepted the title," he said.
In view of that he called on the President and in particular his close assistants to reduce contradictory attitude like this one.(*)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
