VIVAnews - Carrying out the task of contacting ministerial candidates has apparently resulted in several interesting stories. One of the candidates thought he was called for a chancellor position while another candidate assumed the phone call was for her husband.
One of the messengers from Cikeas was former State Secretary Hatta Rajasa. The funniest story occurred when Rajasa, who was just appointed Economic Minister, was talking to the State Minister for Environmental Affairs, Gusti Muhammad Hatta. At the time, Gusti was a candidate for the Chancellor of Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarmasin. The proposal has also been submitted to the Final Assessors Team.
“He thought the President’s decision on it has been made,” Rajasa said before the inauguration of the second United Indonesia Cabinet at the State Secretariat office in Jakarta on Wednesday, October 21.
Rajasa then asked Gusti to bring along his curriculum vitae which made Gusti wondered what it was for. The next day, when Gusti came to Cikeas, he was really surprised.
Instead of being given the Presidential Decree on the chancellor position, he was told to read an integrity pact and ministerial contract. “You could imagine how surprised he was. He thought he was about to become a chancellor. But apparently, he was appointed minister,” Rajasa said.
Gusti also acknowledged the unexpected event. After being interviewed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) in Cikeas on Sunday, October 18, Gusti did not expect to be offered a ministerial position. “I am surprised because I’m not from Jakarta,” he said.
Another funny story came up when Rajasa was having trouble contacting one of female ministerial candidates.
When he finally made it to reach the candidate, she responded by saying, “Oh, Hi Mr Hatta. Could you hold on for a moment? Akang (her nickname for her husband) is in the toilet”. Eventually, Rajasa explained to her that he was not calling for her husband.
One of the candidates did not even believe that the caller was Rajasa. He later checked and looked up Rajasa’s number by himself.
“Do you swear you’re Mr Hatta?,” he said, mimicking one of the candidates.
In contacting the candidates, Rajasa was helped by the Cabinet Secretary, Sudi Silalahi. When asked who usually calls him regarding state affairs, Rajasa replied, “As the State Secretary, I have to be on the President’s side all the time. That’s why I don’t need a messenger,“ he said.
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Translated by: Nataya Ermanti
