When Obama Visit, Tourists Ordered to Stay Away from Prambanan

Former US President Barack Obama, left, greets a staff during his visit to Prambanan.

Sleman, 5 Shawwal 1438/29 June 2017 (MINA) – Several tourists who had bought entry tickets to the Prambanan Temple here felt disappointed, as they were ordered to stay away during the visit of former US president Barack Obama and his family on Thursday.

“I feel disappointed because I am not allowed to enter the Prambanan Temple yard, although I have bought the entry ticket,” Antara Nws quoted Setia Budi, one of the visitors from Bekasi, West Java, as stating.

Budi said he had intentionally visited the temple with the hopes of at least catching a glimpse of Obama from a distance, but then he was disappointed since he was denied entry.

Dadang, another visitor from Semarang, Central Java, also expressed disappointment since while buying the entry ticket, no information was given that the visitors would be ordered to stay away from the Prambanan Temple following Obamas visit.

On Thursday morning, the yard of Prambanan Temple was sterilized for Obamas visit.

Consequently, hundreds of tourists who had passed through the entry gate into the temple yard were diverted by security officials to the Sewu Temple, located on the north side of Prambanan Temple.

However, several of them who were eager to see Obama opted to remain outside the temple area and wait for the arrival of the former US president.

“I choose to wait here because who knows, I can see Obama passing through this gate,” Ade Anggoro, one of the tourists from Tangerang, Banten Province, noted.

Obama and his family arrived at the Prambanan Temple at 9:15 a.m. Western Indonesia Standard Time and after about an hour of sightseeing, they left the temple yard. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)