Amanda Ferdina, Jakarta – Shouting “Long live SBY”, on Wednesday December 30 scores of protesters form the Indonesian People’s Solidarity Coalition (KSRI) demonstrated at the launch of the book Unmasking the Cikeas Octopus: Behind the Bank Century Scandal.

The demonstrators arrived at the book launch at the Doekoen Coffee shop on  Jl. Pasar Minggu Raya in South Jakarta at around 13.30pm having walked on foot from the direction of Pasar Minggu.

During the action they sang the song “For You my Country” and shouted slogans such as “Long live SBY”, referring to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The protesters’ shouts affected the atmosphere of the book launch somewhat, with guests looking the way during the demonstration.

“We are not willing to see this nation split apart by a person whose citizenship is unclear. He’s a foreign lackey!” said action coordinator Abdul Fatah during a speech.

The guests attending the even responded by waving 2,000 and 100,000 rupiah notes at the demonstrators. The protesters responded only by saying, “That is money from foreign lackeys. Indonesian people who have been easily bought by foreign lackeys and wave their money around,” said Fatah.

“Sixty percent of the people voted for SBY, we must respect their votes, don’t sow disunity,” added Fatah. The protesters also brought a number of posters to the action reading “I want to break Papua away from NKRI [the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia]”, “I am a provocateur” and “Long live SBY”. (nik/iy)

[Translated by James Balowski.]