SBY trapped in flood

Desy Nurhayati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Even the country's President could not escape the impact of floodwaters that swept across Jakarta on Friday, although he was able to make his cabinet meeting at the State Palace.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's entourage was faced with a flooded city on its return to the palace after an impromptu visit to Karawang, West Java, some 59 kilometers to the east from Jakarta.

The presidential entourage shared conditions with thousands of motorists as traffic moved at a snail's pace through the Pondok Gede Timur toll gate.

As the entourage came to the front of the Sarinah Department Store, on a flooded Jl. MH Thamrin, Yudhoyono's RI 1 Mercedes-Benz sedan experienced engine trouble and he swapped vehicles to his guards' Mercedes jeep.

"We were afraid something worse might happen to the sedan if we insisted to continue," said presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng.

"That's why the President moved. After all, the President is just like other people who tried to avoid the floods."

Yudhoyono continued his journey to the palace using the busway lane, while his sedan was left on the side of the road.

Trade Minister Mary Elka Pangestu, Agriculture Minister Anton Apriantono and State Minister for Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Suryadharma Ali were undisturbed by the floods onboard a VW Caravelle.

The rest of the cabinet's ministers arrived on time at the palace for the meeting in their SUVs (sports utility vehicles) that have higher ground clearance, instead of their official sedans.

Among them were Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal on a Land Rover, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Adm. (ret) Widodo A.S. on a Lexus Cygnus, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie on a Toyota Alphard, State Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar on a BMW X5 and Forestry Minister M.S. Ka'ban on a Toyota Prado.