Pacitan people behind Susilo all the way<\/p>\n
ID Nugroho, Pacitan, East Java<\/p>\n
This is the fourth in a series of articles on the five
\npresidential candidates in the eyes of their neighbors or former
\nneighbors<\/p>\n
An Islamic boarding school in Tremas subdistrict, Pacitan
\nregency, was hectic when The Jakarta Post visited it on Friday
\nlast week. Male students were seen wandering around the 12-
\nhectare school premises, while dozens of female students chatted
\non the floor inside one of the school buildings. Coconut palms
\nswayed in the wind, while the weather was mild.<\/p>\n
Fuad Habib, the school principal, who was seen sitting cross-
\nlegged praying in a corner in the school's main building, quickly
\ngot up and greeted the Post when he saw the Post entering the
\nbuilding. \"There have been so many journalists visiting us
\nrecently,\" he smiled.<\/p>\n
It was close by here that presidential candidate Gen. (ret)
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono, familiarly known as SBY, was born 58
\nyears ago.<\/p>\n
\"His mother gave birth to him in a house only some 30 meters
\nbehind the school building,\" said the cleric.<\/p>\n
Susilo's birth was witnessed by Fuad's father, Habib Dimyathi,
\nwho was also Fuad's predecessor in leading the Islamic school.<\/p>\n
Nothing much has changed in the surrounding area since then.
\nThe only change is that Susilo's family home was turned into a
\nsmall mosque after Susilo's family moved to another village in
\nthe regency.<\/p>\n
The relationship between the Islamic school, which was founded
\nin 1830, and Susilo's family became stronger after Susilo's
\nfather Sukotjo alias Imam Adro'i became a teacher of history in
\nthe school.<\/p>\n
Despite the historic connection between the school and the
\nSusilo's family, Fuad said that his school would remain neutral.
\nOne of the teachers in the school, Amak Haris Dimyathi, echoed
\nFuad's comment.<\/p>\n
\"The person is not important. The most important is for us to
\nsupport the presidential candidate who cares about his mandate
\nfrom the people, and fulfills it.\"<\/p>\n
If the Islamic school remains neutral, it will be different
\nfrom ordinary people in Pacitan regency. Dwiyanti, Susilo's
\njunior when they were both attending the Pacitan Junior High
\nSchool, voiced strong support for Susilo to be the next Indonesia
\npresident. \"I hope he will be the first graduate of our school to
\nbecome president,\" said Dwiyanti, who is currently the deputy
\nprincipal of the junior high school.<\/p>\n
If Susilo were elected, the school would benefit from it -- at
\nleast he could help provide the school with better facilities,
\nincluding computers, said Dwiyanti.<\/p>\n
Support was also voiced by Padang Waidatu Aisyah, an
\nelementary school student, and Sunardi, a retired official from
\nthe Pacitan Prosecutor's Office.<\/p>\n
\"I like SBY. He is good-looking,\" said Aisyah, a student at
\nBalehardjo elementary school where Susilo studied during his
\nchildhood.<\/p>\n
Similarly, the 90-year old Sunardi believed that Susilo was
\nthe chosen one. \"I knew his father. I believe Susilo is capable
\nof leading the nation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Strong support from Susilo's fellow Pacitan people has made
\nSusilo's campaign team in the regency upbeat that Susilo, a
\nretired four-star general, will win a big vote, at least in
\nPacitan regency.<\/p>\n
Pacitan, some 250 kilometers north of Surabaya, the capital of
\nEast Java, has a population of 536,494, according to 1999 data
\nfrom the Pacitan Statistic Office.<\/p>\n
\"We predict that he will win 80 percent of the votes in the
\nregency,\" said Sudjono, the chairman of the Democratic Party's
\n(PD) Pacitan branch. This are not empty words. The Democratic
\nParty (PD), which chose Susilo as its presidential candidate, won
\nin the legislative election in the regency on April 5.<\/p>",
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