Cheerful Susilo gets victory munchies<\/p>\n
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
While well-heeled regents and governors here might think twice
\nabout eating lunch at a humble food stall on a dusty road, it was
\nnot so with an upbeat President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who
\ndecided a Padang feed was the perfect antidote to a growling
\nstomach in Banten on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The President and his entourage made the stop at the roadside
\nFamili Sakato stall on the way from Tangerang to Serang after
\ntouring a former drug factory the police raided on Friday, the
\nthird largest of its type ever found in the world.<\/p>\n
Susilo's hunger proved that despite the large amounts of
\necstasy and crystal methamphetamine chemicals found scattered
\naround the factory, he had not inhaled. Neither had he succumbed
\nto a contact high -- ecstasy and speed being well known appetite-
\nsuppressants.<\/p>\n
He quickly devoured nearly all the spicy chicken pieces on
\nthe table with his bare hands as local onlookers stared with
\nbenign amusement.<\/p>\n
The road to a man's heart, as the adage goes, is through his
\nstomach. And for Susilo, who has been under pressure recently
\nwith the country's continuing economic woes and security
\nproblems, it might have been the happiest day ever during his 13
\nmonths in power.<\/p>\n
And the President has good reason to pleased.<\/p>\n
Many of his recent worries have been assuaged by two pieces of
\ngood news within just a week: the slaying of alleged organizer of
\nthe country's deadliest terrorist network, Malaysian national
\nAzahari bin Husin, and the successful police drug raid.<\/p>\n
Susilo visited the factory, located in Tegal village, Serang,
\nto tour the facilities and get first-hand information about the
\npolice operation.<\/p>\n
Along the way to the factory, Susilo wound down the
\nbulletproof windows of his car to wave to the watching crowds --
\na rare move that visibly spooked several presidential guards and
\nlocal police.<\/p>\n
Inside the factory complex, Susilo congratulated officials
\nfrom the National Police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and
\nthe Australian, Hong Kong and Taiwanese police forces for their
\nsuccess.<\/p>\n
On Friday, police arrested 13 people in connection with the
\nraid, including foreign nationals from France, the Netherlands
\nand China. Officers have also detained an Indonesian, Benny
\nSudrajat, who is believed to be running the operation here. The
\nfactory had an installed capacity to produce one million ecstasy
\ntablets a week worth some Rp 100 billion (US$9.8 million), with
\nmost of the pills exported to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia.<\/p>\n
\"The success should not stop here. Officials at all levels of
\nthe administration should intensify efforts to foil the three
\nmost important crimes; terrorism, drug trafficking and
\ncorruption. This week's successes are just a start,\" Susilo said.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the morning, Susilo had talked of the operations to
\nan international delegation of the Asian Forum of
\nParliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD).<\/p>\n
Nearly half of his speech to the group was devoted to the
\nchronology of the police raids and how they could affect the
\ncountry's future development.<\/p>\n
\"Just two days ago, our police successfully killed the most
\ndangerous terrorists in the region, Dr. Azahari and his
\nassociates ... It is definitely our biggest counterterrorism
\nachievement this year, and I do hope all of you can sleep better
\ntonight,\" Susilo said, smiling.<\/p>\n
\"And just last night, I received a report from the police
\nchief about the raid on the country's largest ecstasy factory and
\nthe foiling of the drug trafficking network.\"<\/p>\n
With these successes, in addition to his full stomach, Susilo
\nis likely to sleep well tonight.<\/p>",
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