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JAKARTA. With hundreds of thousands of flowers now decorating the room, the House of Representatives’ Plenary Hall is ready to welcome Saudi King Salman bin Abdulazis Al Saud, who will visit the legislature to speak before thousands of invitees on Thursday.
A red carpet has been stretched out and a special chair and table prepared with a special microphone erected for the king to give a 10-minute speech. He is scheduled to speak in front of 1,500 guests, including ministers, ambassadors, political party elites and religious figures.
The King is scheduled to arrive at the House at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Zulkifli Hasan and Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Speaker Mohammad Saleh will welcome him as he steps out of his car.
Entering the lobby of Nusantara building, House Speaker Setya Novanto will then wait for him to sign an official visit document on the prepared table, with a background of gebyok (a Javanese “wooden wall”) fully decorated with flowers.
A documentary about the visit of former King Faisal to Indonesia 47 years ago will also be screened to mark the event. Setya will give a welcome speech, followed by a speech by the King in Arabic.
The King will only be at the House for 30 minutes, before leaving at 13:30.
Damayanti, the House secretariat general's deputy chairman for hearings said that no new furniture had been prepared. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia aides have visited the House four times to check on the preparations.
“They only want to ensure that all arrangements are made to make the King comfortable, given that he is already 81 years old,” Damayanti said. (Nurul Fitri Ramadhani)
