NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES' LEADERS ATTEND SBY'S INAUGURATION

Jakarta, Oct. 20 (ANTARA) - The leaders of a number of neighboring countries attended the inauguration of President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and vice president-elect Boediono here on Tuesday.

The foreign leaders were Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Timor Leste President Ramos Horta and Sultan Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam.

On arrival at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) building each of them was greeted by an MPR deputy chairman.

Prime ministers Rudd and Razak were greeted by MPR Deputy Chairman Lukman Hakim Saifuddin of the PPP (United Development Party) Faction, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Lee Hsien Loong were welcomed by MPR Deputy Chairman Farhan Hamid of the DPD (Regional Representatives Council).

The foreign leaders had been invited to attend the MPR plenary session at which Yudhoyono and Boediono would be sworn in as president and vice president respectively based on the results of the July 2009 presidential election.

President Yudhoyono arrived at the MPR building at 9.43 am and was greeted by MPR Chairman Taufiq Kiemas and MPR Secretary General Rahimullah.

Also present on the occasion were former President BJ Habibie, former Vice President M Jusuf Kalla, and former Vice President Try Soetrisno.

Megawati Soekarnoputri, former president and wife of MPR Chairman Taufik Kiemas, was absent from the event.

Meanwhile, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak sent his elder brother, Rep. Lee Sang-deuk, as a special envoy to the inaugural even.

President Barack Obama sent Lisa P. Jackson, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, as the head of the US delegation to the inauguration ceremony. Members of the US presidential delegation included Cameron Hume, US Ambassador to Indonesia, and David N. Merrill, president of the United States-Indonesia Society.