Indonesia mourns as Ani Yudhoyono laid to rest at heroes cemetery

JAKARTA, June 2 (Bernama) -- Just days before the Aidilfitri celebrations, Indonesians were mourning the passing of former first lady, Ani Yudhoyono, the wife of the nation's 6th president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY).  

Ani, 66, was buried at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery, here at 2.55pm West Indonesian time (WIB) today with full military burial honours, a ceremony that was broadcast live on local television and also attended by Indonesian president Joko Widodo (Jokowi), former third president, BJ Habibie and former fifth president Megawati Soekarnoputri.

The late Ani, a recipient of the Bintang Jasa Adipradana medal in 2011 for her role and services as First Lady, died at the National University Hospital in Singapore at 11.50 am local time on Saturday after battling blood cancer since February.

Her body was flown back to Jakarta on a military plane, before being transported at 11pm WIB to Puri Cikeas, in Bogor, the family's home between 2004 and 2014.

 Ambassador-Designate to Indonesia, Zainal Abidin Bakar, who was among those who paid his last respects in Puri Cikeas, expressed Malaysia's condolences on Indonesia's loss.

President Jokowi's running mate for vice-president in the recent 2019 Presidential Election, Ma'ruf Amin, was Imam for the funeral prayers at Puri Cikeas, before she laid to rest in Kalibata. 

Since yesterday, there had been a steady stream of visitors at SBY's home to pay their respects, including President Jokowi and political leaders from opposing sides, which also gave them an opportunity to bridge ties and ease post-election tensions.

-- BERNAMA