Former President Yudhoyono to Miss 81st Independence Day Celebrations Due to Medical Check-Up in US

Former President Yudhoyono to Miss 81st Independence Day Celebrations Due to Medical Check-Up in US

Former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will not participate in Indonesia's 81st Independence Day commemorations as he undergoes a medical check-up in the United States expected to last until the end of August, according to the Democratic Party.

Benny K. Harman, deputy chairman of the Democratic Party founded by Yudhoyono in 2001, confirmed on Tuesday that the former leader would miss both the People's Consultative Assembly annual session and the Independence Day ceremony at Merdeka Palace.

Absence from Key Constitutional Events

The absence means Yudhoyono, who served as Indonesia's first directly elected president from 2004 to 2014, will not attend the MPR annual session held on Friday, August 14, at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta. The session, a key constitutional event held ahead of Indonesia's August 17 Independence Day, brings together current leaders and former presidents to reaffirm their commitment to the republic.

MPR Deputy Speaker Eddy Soeparno explained that this year's session was scheduled earlier than usual to avoid conflicting with Friday prayers. The agenda follows the format of previous years, though the timing has been adjusted for religious observance.

All former presidents and vice presidents received invitations to the session. Jusuf Kalla, who served as vice president during Yudhoyono's first term from 2004 to 2009 and later held the position again from 2014 to 2019 under President Joko Widodo, confirmed he would attend. Kalla remains the only vice president in Indonesian history to serve two non-consecutive terms.

Missing the Main Independence Day Ceremony

Yudhoyono will also miss the main Independence Day ceremony on Monday, August 17, at Merdeka Palace, where President Prabowo Subianto will lead the national celebration marking 81 years since Indonesia proclaimed independence from Dutch colonial rule in 1945.

Yudhoyono's Presidential Legacy

During his decade in office, Yudhoyono presided over what the World Economic Forum termed Indonesia's golden decade, a period characterized by democratic consolidation, political stability, sustained economic growth, and the country's emergence as a G-20 member. He completed two full terms with Jusuf Kalla as his first vice president and Boediono serving during his second term from 2009 to 2014.

This year's Independence Day celebrations are being held under the national theme "A Sovereign, Just and Prosperous Indonesia," reflecting the country's continued aspirations for development and national unity as it marks more than eight decades of independence.