The Blue Color Of The Presidential Plane Is Changed To Red, Democrats Don't Accept It?

Illustration-Presidential Plane when the sky is blue (Photo: Instagram @jokowi)

JAKARTA - The change in the paint of the presidential plane from blue to red has been explained by the Palace through the Ministry of State Secretariat. The special staff of the Minister of State Secretary, Faldo Maldini, said that the plan to change the paint for the Indonesian Presidential Aircraft-1 or BBJ 2 had started two years ago.

"This is not a new plan, it has been started since 2019, to welcome the 75th independence day. However, the BBJ 2 aircraft was serviced according to the manufacturer's recommendation, it crashed in 2021. At first, it was a package with several other fleets that had arrived. Instead, it will be more efficient," Faldo told reporters, Tuesday, August 3.

However, apparently, the government's plan to change the paint color of the presidential plane from blue to red has drawn criticism from the Democratic Party (PD).

As if he didn't accept it, the elite of the Democratic Party Andi Arief questioned whether the basis for choosing the red color had gone through a study like the era of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) at that time.

"There is a study from the Indonesian Air Force major regarding the color. It can't be done, Mr. Sudi. There is a designer whose explanation is scientific, now it is still being kept by the State Secretariat. If it is replaced with red, who forbids it, but of course there must be a study and explanation," Andi Arief wrote in Twitter account page @Andiarief__, as seen by VOI, Wednesday, August 4.

Andi Arief also reviewed the history of the presidential plane. He revealed that the Indonesian government was only able to have its own presidential plane after decades of renting it.

"In 2014, after 69 years of renting, Indonesia finally has a presidential plane," he wrote again.

Andi Arief also uploaded a video showing Sudi Silalahi explaining why the presidential plane was painted blue. In the video, Sudi Silalahi is written as Minister of State Secretary (Mensesneg).

"In 2021, after 7 years of owning a presidential plane, the President finally painted the plane in another color. Very simple," Andi Arief tweeted.

Just a reminder, Indonesia officially had its own presidential plane in 2014, when Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) served as President of the Republic of Indonesia. The Minister of State Secretary at that time, Sudi Silalahi, emphasized that the blue color of the presidential plane was not determined by President SBY.

"Indeed, why is there a problem with color? After all, this color is not the President's choice to decide. Why blue, there are designers here too," said Sudi after the plane handover ceremony at Halim Perdanakusuma, East Jakarta, Thursday, April 10, 2014.

Andi Arief continued that the reason the presidential plane was painted blue was for security reasons.

"The dominance of sky blue is an effort to improve flight safety, as a camouflage color when flying," said Andi Arief.

The head of the Democratic Party's Election Winning Body (Bappilu) then quipped that the color change seemed to have forgotten the existing history. "Erase your tracks, Ariel said," added Andi Arief.