National

SBY Promises Not to Go Abroad
Friday, 24 September, 2004 | 08:46 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is known as SBY, has so far won 64.16 percent of the people’s vote in the second-round presidential election on September 20 and promised that he will not go abroad during the first 100 days of his administration unless he really has to do so.

Yudhoyono said that he would meet laborers, farmers and fishermen and find out the real problems that actually exist within Indonesia.

He also promised to meet people in conflict areas, including Maluku, Atambua in East Nusa Tenggara and the province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD).

“I promise to settle all these matters in a comprehensive way,” Yudhoyono said during a dialogue with teachers of Cileungsi I High School in his residence in Cikeas, Bogor, West Java, on Wednesday (22/09).

According to SBY, problems in Aceh will be settled through military operations and other efforts to improve the welfare and education of people in the province.

Yudhoyono also promised to welcome members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist group who wished to join the Republic of Indonesia.

“I am convinced that the conflict in Aceh will be settled within the next two years,” he said.

Jusuf Kalla, the vice presidential candidate and Yudhoyono’s running mate, told reporters on Wednesday (22/09) at the General Election National Tabulation Center in Jakarta that he was busy selecting his and Yudhoyono’s cabinet members through consultation with various parties, including the leaders of parties supporting him and Yudhoyono.

According to Kalla, during the first 100 days of their administration, he and Yudhoyono would focus on law enforcement and economic recovery matters.

As regards the economy, Kalla promised to improve the real sector, as well as reform the tax, banking, education and business sectors.

“I will help the president in handling all matters that he is unable to do due to limited time,” stated Kalla.
(Cahyo/Badriah/Maria Rita/Kurniawan-Tempo News Room)