Amien, a man who remembers his roots

Blontank Poer, The Jakarta Post, Surakarta

This is the third in a series of articles on the five presidential candidates in the eyes of their neighbors

Although he spent much of his time lecturing at state-run Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, presidential candidate Amien Rais is still seen as a "hometown boy" by villagers in Kepatihan Kulon, Surakarta, Central Java.

"Many people here voted for Pak Amien Rais' party because they recognize him as one of their own," Sudarso, 62, said proudly.

Amien's National Mandate Party (PAN) won up to 90 percent of 400 votes at one of seven polling stations in Kepatihan Kulon during the April 5 legislative election. Overall, however, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) of President Megawati Soekarnoputri won the village's votes.

In Surakarta, however, PAN garnered 43,000 votes compared to the 40,000 it won in the 1999 election, thus raising its representation in the local legislature from six to seven seats.

According to his neighbors, Amien is a clean figure who had the courage to stand up against former president Soeharto.

They recalled vividly how Amien called for the presidential term to be limited in the mid-1990s.

They also considered Amien down-to-earth, as he continued to spare his time to visit and talk with them even after he was elected in 1999 as Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly, the country's highest legislative body.

"Because of his tight schedule, Pak Amien cannot stay longer with his neighbors, but for ordinary people like us, his thoughts are already enough," Sudarso said.

Hadawiyah, 43, however, has a slightly expanded view on Amien, who has picked Siswono Yudohusodo as his running mate for the upcoming election.

"Pak Amien is a very serious and disciplined person, yet he is also very hospitable to his neighbors," said Hadawiyah, who lives next door to Amien's village home.

Villagers said his strong discipline was deeply implanted in the family by his late mother, Sudalmiyah Suhud Rais.

"Elderly people often say that none of Eyang Suhud's children were allowed to play outside the fence of their house," she said.

Sudarso agreed with Hadawiyah, and said Amien's younger years were spent on studying and reciting the Koran after school at the local mosque, the Langgar Setabelan.

"Due to his keen interest in Korean recital, Pak Amien became very respected among his friends. He is clever, too, because he is the first person from here who studied overseas," he said.

Surakarta PAN executive chairman Umar Hasyim said the increase in the party's ballots was due to Amien's popularity.

"We wouldn't have won so many votes if it wasn't for Pak Amien, although many votes were reaped from Muhammadiyah members," he said, referring to the second-largest Muslim organization.