Meeting With Jokowi, Vice President Postpones Visits To Merauke And Wamena

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin accompanied by Wury Ma'ruf Amin arrived at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, East Jakarta, using the Presidential Special Aircraft, Thursday (12/10/2023) after visiting Papua. (ANTARA/HO-Satwapres)

JAKARTA - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin postponed his visit to Merauke, South Papua, and Wamena, Papua Mountains, until December 2023.

"Maybe even if there is a visit to Papua, God willing, maybe in December," said Spokesperson for Vice President Masduki Baidlowi at the Sultan Hasanuddin Air Force Base, Makassar, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, October 12.

He said the decision to reschedule the vice president's visit to Tanah Papua was motivated by a series of important government agendas at home and abroad involving the role of vice president.

These agendas include the invitation to a limited meeting (ratas) with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta today to visits to several other regions in Indonesia and abroad in October and November 2023.

However, Masduki estimates that there will be two more agendas for visits to Papua until the end of the term of office of President Jokowi and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin.

"Hopefully later this year it will still be possible at the end (of the year). We will determine it again later," he said.

It was previously reported that the vice president's working visit agenda to Merauke and Wamena, which was originally scheduled to take place today, was canceled.

"Mr. Vice President, who plans to continue his visit to Wamena and Merauke, must be postponed, because there is a limited meeting with the President in Jakarta," he said.

The vice president's activities towards Merauke and Wamena to have a dialogue with local tribal chiefs in an effort to accelerate economic development and welfare in the Land of Papua.