Held in the basement of the State Guest House, the gathering started at 11 am and was attended by echelon-I and II officials of the State Secretariat and Cabinet Secretariat.
Before starting their activities, the officials came to the State Guest House at the Presidential Palace complex to shake hands with the president, First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi and his wife, Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam and his wife, and the chief of Presidential Working Unit for Development Control and Supervision (UKP4).
Also present at the gathering were members of the Presidential Advisory Council, presidential special staffers, presidential security guards.
But Vice President Boediono was not present because at the same time he also held a so-called Halal Bihalal gathering with his whole secretarial staff at his office to exchange expressions of forgiveness with each other.
The Halal Bihalal gathering was conducted on the first day of work after a week-long Idul Fitri or Lebaran holiday period.
Hundreds of workers working at the presidential office were present at the function which started at 9.30 and ended at 10.10 on Monday morning.
Standing in a long line, the workers, including a number of newsmen, one by one shook hands with the vice president while asking for forgiveness of their past mistakes.
With his typical smile, the vice president also put forth his hand and shook hands with the workers.
The vice president on the occasion was accompanied by among others deputy secretary of the vice president for political and international affairs Dewi Fortuna Anwar, deputy secretary for people`s welfare Bambang Widianto, and vice presidential spokesman Yopie Hidayat.(*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
