Hamzah makes a good neighbor, but president?<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta<\/p>\n
This is the second in a series of articles on the five
\npresidential candidates in the eyes of their neighbors.<\/p>\n
To his neighbors in Tegalan, Matraman, East Jakarta, Vice
\nPresident Hamzah Haz is a down-to-earth person. He is modest,
\ngenerous and a devoted Muslim who prays five times a day.<\/p>\n
But despite his good standing with the neighbors, they think
\nHamzah has little chance of winning the presidential election.<\/p>\n
Rani, a housewife who has lived in Tegalan for 20 years, says
\nthat since becoming Vice President, Hamzah has still managed to
\nfind time to jog every day after his morning prayer.<\/p>\n
\"He always smiles when he sees us. He is as friendly as ever,\"
\nshe told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The only change has been the presence of guards in the
\nneighborhood since he became Vice President in 2001, but the
\nguards are equally friendly, Rani said while pointing to one of
\nthe guards chatting with a shopkeeper.<\/p>\n
Another neighbor, who sells glasses from a small shop, said
\nHamzah always prayed in the mosque next to her kiosk, and his
\nwife made a weekly donation to poor families in the area.<\/p>\n
Hamzah, who was born in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, lives with
\nAsmaniah, the first of his three wives, in a medium-sized house
\nwith a garage and small garden on Jl. Tegalan.<\/p>\n
The woman said the presence of Hamzah's guards gave her an
\nadded sense of security.<\/p>\n
Hamzah's guests occasionally drop into her shop to buy
\nglasses, she said.<\/p>\n
Bernard, an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver, also had nothing
\nbut good things to say about Hamzah as a neighbor.<\/p>\n
\"Talking about hospitality, Pak Hamzah has never changed,\" he
\nsaid of the Vice President, who is contesting the presidential
\nelection along with running mate Agum Gumelar, a former minister
\nand retired Army general.<\/p>\n
Bernard also said that before Hamzah became Vice President,
\nHamzah's wife often hired him to give her a ride to the nearby
\nPalmeriam market in the morning.<\/p>\n
\"But of course not now. Bu Asmaniah is still kind but I am a
\nbit disappointed as she never smiles at us anymore since Pak
\nHamzah became Vice President,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Both Rani and Bernard agreed that Hamzah had little chance to
\nwin the presidential election.<\/p>\n
\"Most residents in this housing complex support Pak Hamzah and
\nhis United Development Party, but we realize that his chances of
\nwinning the presidential election are marginal,\" Rani said.<\/p>\n
Bernard said, \"Despite his good character, he is not Javanese
\nand his support in the legislative election was not strong. Being
\nrealistic, I do not think he will win the presidential election.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hamzah-makes-a-good-neighbor-but-president-1447893297",
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