Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Wednesday that the country will hold a state funeral for former president Abdurrahman Wahid in Jombang of East Java on Thursday.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (2nd, R, Front) arrives for condoling the late former president Abdurrahman Wahid at Wahid's residence in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, Dec. 30, 2009. Wahid, who served as Indonesia's fourth president between 1999 and 2001, passed away in hospital on Dec. 30 at the age of 69. [Yue Yuewei/Xinhua]

President Susilo told a press conference that he would be the inspector of the ceremony in the funeral, and the Chairman of Indonesian People Assembly Council Taupik Kiemas would lead the convoy of the shifting of the body from Jakarta to East Java.

"The funeral is planned to be done in Jombang in the way of state funeral that I will lead as the inspector of the ceremony," he said at the State Palace.

The president said that the country would pay the highest respect on one of the greatest leaders in the country.

"We would pay the highest respect on Wahid. I ask all the Indonesian to hoist national flags by a half starting from tomorrow, as the symbol of our mourning," said Yudhoyono.

 A preparation for the funeral in military way had been conducted, Presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said.

President Susilo and some political leaders have visited the former president when he was in the hospital, who died on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the doctors, Wahid suffered from diabetes, and problems on hearth and kidney.

Wahid, 69, had been a chairman of Indonesian largest Muslim organization of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and was elected as Indonesian president in 1999.

Relatives of the late former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid pay their last respect to Wahid in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, Dec. 30, 2009.[Yue Yuewei/Xinhua]

Comments