SINGAPORE: A photograph of the Governor of East Kalimantan having breakfast along with his spouse at Marina Bay Sands over the weekend has gone viral. Some netizens questioned why Governor Rudy Mas’ud and his spouse, Sarifah Suraidah, had taken the journey whereas the province continues to be severely affected by haze situations.
The backlash sparked a response from the Provincial Authorities of East Kalimantan, which mentioned that Mr Mas’ud had been in Singapore for a routine check-up at Mount Elizabeth Hospital. It added that the journey had taken place through the weekend, and that the Governor had taken it with the approval of the Ministry of House Affairs. Mr Mas’ud and Ms Sarifah had been mentioned to have returned to Jakarta by Monday.
The photograph was allegedly taken on Sunday (Oct 11), on the identical weekend because the System 1 Singapore Grand Prix. It reveals the Governor seated at a eating desk at RISE restaurant sporting a darkish shirt throughout from a lady sporting a darkish costume with a floral sample and a wide-brimmed black hat.
A well known Indonesian content material creator, @zumaahmd, posted the photograph on Threads on Monday, and within the caption, he referred to as Ms Sarifah, a Member of Parliament in Indonesia, the nation’s “personal Marie Antoinette.”
His submit has since gone on to be extensively shared and commented on, which ought to come as no shock given the struggling of East Kalimantans because of the haze.
One commenter tagged Al-Jazeera and wrote, “Please report this: the Governor of East Kalimantan is having breakfast on the Marina by Sands lodge whereas his persons are dying as they breathe in haze from the Kalimantan forest fires. Sooooooo heartless and inhumane.”
One other commented, “Simply scream, ‘Hey, there’s the Governor of East Kalimantan, a area that is at the moment experiencing deforestation, which additionally causes air air pollution in Singapore and Malaysia!!! What an amazing trip!!’”
“Why are you guys letting these Kalimantan governors come to Singapore whereas Kalimantan is actually burning? Singaporeans and Malaysians are choking on the haze, but you’re nonetheless welcoming them?” a Threads person chimed in. /TISG
Learn additionally: Bilahari Kausikan questions Indonesia’s response to haze, says authorities can do extra
